Ethnic groups fear chief executive's policy may only be window dressing
Minority representatives are not convinced that the chief executive's statements on integration hold water and criticise his lack of commitment
Representatives of the city's ethnic minorities have voiced scepticism about Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's pledge to do more for them, describing his comments in Wednesday's policy address as "only window dressing".
Leung said in his speech that his administration would make every effort to ensure that minorities were treated equally. In an unprecedented move to get his point across, the cover of his policy address featured a picture of a group of children of different ethnicities.
In the speech the chief executive said: "Many [members of] ethnic minorities in Hong Kong were born and brought up here. Some of them are less successful in integrating into the community because they are unable to read and write Chinese.
"To provide an opportunity for ethnic minority students to learn Chinese more effectively, we will enhance support measures in schools. We hope that it will help nurture a new generation of people who call Hong Kong their home regardless of origin, race and religion."
Leung promised that new arrivals who settle in Hong Kong, regardless of their ethnicity, would get help integrating into the community, and that the government's youth development policies would be inclusive.
But critics of his ethnic minorities policy remain unconvinced.