As John Lee enters his second year in office, more daunting tasks lie ahead
- Hong Kong chief executive and his team deserve kudos for swiftly reopening the borders after the Covid crisis, but challenges from housing to a full economic recovery remain amid uncertainties both here and abroad
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu seemed pleased with his accomplishments when interviewed by the media on the first anniversary of his term in office. To some Hongkongers and observers, his performance might even be considered better than expected – having weathered the Covid-19 pandemic and embarked on a series of much-needed programmes to rebuild the city. But while there is hope for Lee to achieve even more in the coming years, the challenges arising from the local and global environment are also making his job that much more difficult.
Lee’s first year in office is not just characterised by a return to normality after three years of isolation because of the pandemic. Riding on a relatively good start last summer, he reopened the borders early this year, widened the talent recruitment scheme and launched a key housing initiative – the Light Public Housing programme to speed up the allocation of flats for those most in need. But the labour importation plan also sparked disputes, as did the proposed housing project at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling, which could snowball into confrontations between the rich and poor if not handled well.
There are also concerns over the administration’s tight grip on the political front. The plan to reduce elected district council seats, which Lee says is part of a wider reform to enhance district administration, is seen by some as a setback to democracy. Concerns over the perceived erosion of freedoms under the Beijing-imposed national security law also remain. The pledge to further legislate against other security threats under Basic Law Article 23 no later than next year is likely to fuel greater tension in society.
All these are making Lee’s job all the more challenging. His promise of tangible results will continue to raise expectations, with more people questioning how they are to benefit specifically from his policies and measures. The lack of political opposition in a “patriot-only” establishment means there are fewer obstacles to governance and, indeed, room for excuses. Even though Lee’s term still has four years to run, growing impatience with a raft of social woes means there will be greater pressure for him to deliver. Unless trust is restored and support widened, the political divide and “soft resistance” will hold back development.
Hong Kong’s John Lee has hit most goals so far, but what do residents think?
The problem of ‘soft resistance’
Reviewing his work in an interview with this newspaper on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged there was still what he called “soft resistance” in society. While he pledged to be inclusive, he warned against moves that went beyond the law. He also defended the national security law, saying it had specific scopes and high thresholds for convictions. The risks should not be forgotten though, he said, referring to the turbulence of the 2019 social unrest.
Amid concerns over judicial independence, Lee has reassured that the common law legal system would continue. While he expressed regret over the departures of some non-permanent foreign judges at the Court of Final Appeal, Lee said he was pleased to see that others had stayed. The assurance of the continuation of the legal system and the recognition of the contribution of foreign judges are to be welcomed.
With still a lot on his plate, we hope the chief executive was not trying to dampen expectations when he stressed many problems were deep-seated and could not be resolved instantly. Take housing as an example. Private properties are still unaffordable to many, while public housing supply remains woefully inadequate. Even though most of the so-called key performance indicators set by the new government over the past year were said to have been met, to what extent people’s livelihood had improved is another matter. As President Xi Jinping has emphasised, it is important for the people to get “a sense of gain” from government policies and measures. Lee must go beyond checking off his to-do list and deliver results that genuinely benefit residents.
Geopolitical challenges
The city is expected to stay under the international spotlight amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and complex political manoeuvring, including the coming elections in the United States and Taiwan. Lee said the government would prioritise regional cooperation, such as with Southeast Asia and the Middle East, which he believed would yield quicker results. He said businesses and individuals could still continue exchanges with their counterparts in the West and urged them to play to their strengths despite the prevailing tensions at the government level and expectations that geopolitics will continue to haunt the global environment. Hong Kong needs to be better prepared for the challenges and the government must work harder to help reinforce ties with all sides at different levels.
Apart from exploring new growth opportunities and collaboration amid integration with national development, better efforts are also needed to strike a good balance under the governance model of “one country, two systems”. Hong Kong’s success lies in upholding its freedoms under two systems while adhering to the one country principle at the same time. How to rebuild the city along these delicate lines will continue to put Lee and his team to the test.
