Before unveiling his manifesto on Friday, chief executive candidate John Lee Ka-chiu had made three pledges since launching his campaign bid for Hong Kong’s top job on April 9: adopting a “result-oriented approach”, increasing the city’s competitiveness and consolidating its strengths.

The city’s former No 2 official presented his platform at a press conference at 11am at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre on Friday. The event, which lasted less than an hour, was broadcast live on television and streamed via his Facebook channel.

Before his speech, the Post learned that the public will get the first detailed look at Lee’s policy platform, focusing on five main areas, from reconnecting with mainland China and international communities to housing, youth development and benefits for the elderly.

The policeman turned former chief secretary, who quit earlier this month to run for the election after securing Beijing’s blessing, had not yet provided anything more concrete in the lead-up to Friday, citing the time needed to meet different sectors before he and his team inked the manifesto.

His campaign director Tam Yiu-chung, a pro-Beijing heavyweight, earlier hinted that Lee was unlikely to go into great detail with his platform, and would instead focus on an overall policy direction, concept and vision.

Lee’s manifesto offered the clearest look yet at how the former security minister, often criticised for his lack of experience in economic and social policies, plans to govern the city in the next five years on issues from housing to finance.

Our live coverage below unpacked the key points of Lee’s policy blueprint.

Reporting by Chris Lau, Natalie Wong, Lilian Cheng and Nadia Lam