In the first of our series of previews on the five-year plan and policy address, to be announced on September 16, Natalie Wong and Matthew Cheng look at the key political issues and the city leader’s hopes for a second term.
When Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu steps up to the Legislative Council podium next Wednesday, he will break from decades of political tradition.
Lee’s coming policy address will summarise his four years in office while setting out what is expected to be his most ambitious and forward-looking governance agenda to date, as it will serve as an execution document to complement the city’s inaugural five-year plan to be delivered on the same day.
Observers are closely watching where the two blueprints will take Hong Kong, and whether the synergy of high-level strategic planning will be used by the 68-year-old leader to build momentum for securing a second five-year term next July.
Pressure is mounting on him to deliver on the Northern Metropolis near the Shenzhen border, with some political experts saying a key challenge is getting businesses to commit to the megaproject that could take up to 20 years to complete.
Beyond policy initiatives, they said Lee’s future in the job also hinged on issues of political accountability arising from the Tai Po fire, Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades, which occurred on his watch. An independent committee’s findings are set to be published in late October, after months of evidential hearings earlier this year.
In the remaining nine months of his tenure, Lee also faces pressure to address long-standing societal problems such as housing affordability while showing how his administration will execute its expanded vision. Analysts said some quick wins would be vital.