Roundup: HK chief executive highlights social concerns in 2015 policy address

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Wednesday delivered his policy address for the year of 2015 at Hong Kong's Legislative Council. The 65-page policy address highlighted social concerns including constitutional development, housing and land as well as youth education and development.

Leung underlined rule of law in the policy address titled " Uphold the rule of law. Seize the opportunities. Make the right choices." It is his third policy address since he was sworn in on July 1, 2012.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The chief executive said that the substantive power to decide on constitutional development rests with the central authorities.

Leung said the slogan of "Hong Kong shall resolve Hong Kong's problems" does not conform with constitutional arrangements.

He said that the Basic Law clearly stipulates that the power to nominate candidates of the chief executive election rests only with the nominating committee.

"Over the past year, the central authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Government have repeatedly pointed out that 'civic nomination' does not comply with the Basic Law," he noted.

Leung called on Hong Kong people to make good use of the second round public consultation on the method for selecting the chief executive by universal suffrage.

The consultation started last Wednesday.

"By so doing, 5 million eligible electors in Hong Kong can select the chief executive through 'one person, one vote' in 2017, " Leung said.

"This is a big step forward for Hong Kong's democratic development," he said.

The chief executive stressed that Hong Kong people have to be wary of suggestions that deviate from the Basic Law. Hong Kong's autonomy under "One Country, Two Systems" is a high degree of autonomy, not an absolute autonomy. It is a high degree of autonomy specifically provided for in the Basic Law, not one based on any arbitrary interpretation.

He added that there is neither overseas precedent nor " international standard" of the kind.

"We fully recognize the aspirations of our young students for democracy and their concerns about constitutional development. They should be guided towards a full understanding of the constitutional relationship between our country and Hong Kong so that the discussion on constitutional development would not be fruitless."

"The rule of law is the foundation of Hong Kong. The democratic development of Hong Kong must therefore be underpinned by the same. As we pursue democracy, we should act in accordance with the law, otherwise Hong Kong will degenerate into anarchy," Leung said.

HOUSING AND LAND

Increasing and expediting land supply is the fundamental solution to resolve the land and housing problems of Hong Kong, said the chief executive.

Leung said the root of many social and economic problems in Hong Kong lies in the shortage of land for development. There is a serious mismatch between the supply of land and the needs of the society.

"The short supply of land and housing has led to rising property prices and rents," the chief executive said, noting that high property prices and rents have prevented many young people from forming a family or starting their own business.

Leung said what Hong Kong lacks is not land, but land that is developable.

The difference lies in the need for land planning and development, he said, adding that the process of land planning and development takes time.

"We have to take into consideration more and more factors such as the impact on traffic, environment, conservation and even air ventilation in the planning process," he said, as a result, the supply of developable land has decreased or decelerated. Society as a whole must make hard choices, he said.

Planning must reflect the overall interests of Hong Kong and heed the priorities of society's needs, Leung added, saying not only the well-being of individual areas in planning and development, but also the overall housing supply and demand of Hong Kong as a whole should be considered.

In the past two years, the government has stepped up efforts to increase land supply and build up a land reserve by adopting a multi-pronged strategy and various short, medium and long-term measures, he said, adding that the government will relax outdated restrictions and streamline procedures to facilitate land development.

YOUTH EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT

In the policy address, the chief executive said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will set up a 300- million-HK dollars (38.7 million U.S. dollars) Youth Development Fund to support innovative youth development activities.

Leung said the fund will support youth development activities which are not covered by existing schemes, including subsidy in the form of matching funds for non-governmental organizations ( NGOs) to assist young people in starting their own business.

The move was part of the government's broader efforts to create more job opportunities for young people.

Leung said the government also plans to provide a subsidy for students to join at least one Chinese mainland exchange program each at the primary and secondary stages.

"We will explore with mainland provinces and cities to expand and enhance such exchange and cooperation. Young people can broaden their horizons through two-way visits, life experience activities, cultural and service collaboration as well as job- seeking experience sharing," Leung said.

Meanwhile, four youth hostel projects are being progressively implemented.

"The government will seek funding approval as soon as possible to take forward the two projects at Sheung Wan and Tai Po, while advance preparation works are being carried out for two projects at Mong Kok and Jordan," he said, adding that the government will actively assist other interested NGOs with the early launch of more new projects.

The chief executive also talked about other important issues in the policy address, which included trade in services between the entire mainland and Hong Kong, Hong Kong's international maritime services for China and the Asia-Pacific region, measures to address the aging issue and air quality improvement. Endi