Beijing officials praise ‘strength and heroism’ of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam at women’s forum, but say city has ‘huge room for improvement’ on gender gap

Foreign ministry commissioner Liu Guangyuan and Lu Xinning, a deputy director of liaison office, praise chief executive at women’s empowerment forum

But Lu also notes women’s participation in some important local institutions, including Hong Kong stock exchange, remains ‘very low’

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Liu Guangyuan speaks at the opening ceremony of the Second Women Power Forum on Saturday. Photo: May Tse

Published: 7:26pm, 23 Oct 2021Updated: 10:26pm, 23 Oct 2021

Senior Beijing officials have hailed Hong Kong’s leader as an example of “women’s strength and heroism” in how she handled the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2019 social unrest, but cited the gender gap in the local workforce as an area for improvement.

Liu Guangyuan, the Chinese foreign ministry’s Hong Kong commissioner, and Lu Xinning, a deputy director of Beijing’s liaison office in the city, heaped praise on Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor at a women’s empowerment forum on Saturday.

The pair were among more than 30 political and business heavyweights who spoke at the Second Women Power Forum, organised by the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Women.

A number of political and business heavyweights spoke at the forum. Photo: May Tse

In his speech, Liu highlighted the achievements of Lam, the city’s first and only female chief executive, saying she had “calmly responded” to the 2019 anti-government protests and severe impact brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

“[Lam’s efforts in] maintaining social order, controlling the epidemic, alleviating people’s hardships and reviving the economy have fully demonstrated women’s strength and heroism,” he told hundreds of female attendees in an event hall at the Shun Tak Centre in Sheung Wan.