Wish list for Hong Kong’s next leader: housing, attracting talent, border reopening
- Among the many tasks facing the chief executive hopeful, providing adequate housing, developing Hong Kong’s status as a tech hub, and pushing for the gradual reopening of the mainland border ought to be at the top of his list
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Mr John Lee Ka-chiu is running for chief executive. His result-oriented approach indeed appeals to many, and it would be vital to tackling deep-seated livelihood issues like housing.
Having met Mr Lee to discuss his election platform, I conveyed some of my thoughts to him as my own wish list for the incoming government.
The makeshift Covid-19 hospitals and isolation sites built by the central government should not be wasted after the pandemic is totally over. With limited effort and cost, they can be converted into transitional housing, which can surely help those living in cage homes and subdivided flats. This is a swift way to partly, if not completely, tackle our cage home problem.
As for long-term economic development, Hong Kong must make the most of the reorganisation of our government and the new Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau should chart the course in reindustrialising Hong Kong. Lately, I had the benefit of speaking to manufacturing stakeholders, and they share the view that Hong Kong is indeed capable of becoming part of the manufacturing base for cutting-edge semiconductors. The government should take the initiative to call on leading semiconductor companies to set up business here.
As far as attracting mainland and international business is concerned, it boils down to the very matter of getting talent and skilled people to move here. Other cities have been aggressively competing for talent from here. Hong Kong must make an all-out effort to attract talent and business, both from the mainland and abroad.
Educational and housing benefits should be offered to expatriate talent so that their families are in good hands, and they have more incentive to live, work and do business here.
Take Shenzhen as an example. Lucrative housing benefits are offered to talent on a very generous basis, which has resulted in the flourishing of the technology sector there.
Bear in mind that if key personnel are eager to move to Hong Kong, companies will then be more likely to set up business here.
We should keep up our effort to persuade the mainland authorities to reopen our border with them. I take the view that a more realistic approach would involve not asking to resume normal, quarantine-free travel for the time being, but appealing to the mainland to reduce the number of days of quarantine for travellers, and thus gradually lowering the threshold for resumption of travel. After all, Hong Kong’s status as gateway to China has always been our edge.
Holden Chow, Legco member and DAB vice-chairman