‘Decisive’ Carrie Lam pushes ahead with controversial housing, land supply and social initiatives in her second Hong Kong policy address

City leader says she is not afraid to tackle issues left unresolved by predecessors as she offers solutions in her policy blueprint

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor appearing at the Legislative Council in Tamar for her annual policy address. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 10:49pm, 10 Oct 2018Updated: 3:16pm, 11 Oct 2018

Hong Kong’s leader was out to demonstrate her “decisive” style of governance on Wednesday as she unveiled a policy blueprint proposing to push ahead with controversial housing, land supply and social initiatives that her predecessors had left unresolved after divisive public debate.

In a 40-minute speech to the legislature, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced plans to build a new metropolis on reclaimed land that would house more than a million people, diversify the economy, introduce family-friendly policies covering both health care and welfare, improve education, labour rights and livelihoods, and create a more liveable city.

Lam spoke of rekindling hope for Hong Kong. Photo: Felix Wong

“This policy address carries my unswerving determination in leading Hong Kong to strive forward. While there are many words, they serve just one purpose: rekindling hope for Hong Kong,” Lam said.

The blueprint, titled “Striving Ahead, Rekindling Hope”, also featured initiatives ranging from lengthening maternity leave to 14 weeks and phasing out diesel commercial vehicles to bolstering the maritime and IT sectors as new driving forces of Hong Kong’s growth.

The political divide in the Legislative Council was on full display as opposition lawmakers began protesting loudly even before Lam began speaking, accusing her of cracking down on independence advocacy at the cost of the city’s freedoms.

‘Decisive’ Carrie Lam pushes ahead with controversial housing, land supply and social initiatives in her second Hong Kong policy address

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City leader says she is not afraid to tackle issues left unresolved by predecessors as she offers solutions in her policy blueprint

City leader says she is not afraid to tackle issues left unresolved by predecessors as she offers solutions in her policy blueprint