Hong Kong chief executive lauds bravery of two firemen who died battling Ngau Tau Kok blaze
Leung Chun-ying makes comment at reception commemorating anniversary of 1997 handover; he also says blaze was ‘heavy lesson in fire safety’
Hong Kong’s top official paid tribute on Friday to two firemen who died fighting an inferno in an industrial building last week and described the fire as “a heavy lesson in fire safety”.
In his speech commemorating the 19th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying also recounted the administration’s successes in tackling the city’s housing shortage and vowed to continue focusing on economic development in the coming year.
Friday was also the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. Speaking as the party’s general secretary in Beijing, President Xi Jinping said “[The party] will continue to thoroughly implement the principles of ‘one country, two systems’ and ‘Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong’ ... and support the chief executive and SAR government in governing according to the law.”
Leung addressed hundreds of business leaders and district representatives at a reception at the Convention and Exhibition Centre after attending a flag-raising ceremony. A performance at the reception was cancelled as a mark of respect for the dead firemen.
“The level four fire in Ngau Tau Kok last week was a heavy lesson in fire safety. The building that was on fire – together with a few hundred similar old factory buildings – did not have automatic sprinkler systems,” Leung said, adding that the government had set up a cross-departmental task force to enforce the law, as well as review and amend related laws.
The chief executive then turned to the deaths of firefighters Thomas Cheung and Samuel Hui Chi-kit. It was earlier announced that they had been posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Bravery, the city’s highest honour for bravery.
“I express deepest grief on behalf of the government towards the sacrifice of senior station officer Thomas Cheung and senior fireman Samuel Hui,” he said. He also thanked the Fire Services Department for giving much in “protecting the lives and belongings of Hongkongers”.
On Hong Kong’s business outlook, Leung said the government would focus on economic development and make use of Hong Kong’s position in the country as there were uncertainties in the year ahead.
He also said housing supply had “obviously increased” in the past four years. Rents and flat prices had also come down, he said.
In Golden Bauhinia Square outside the Convention Centre, Ada Chan, 67, a retired NGO worker, was among members of the public observing the flag-raising ceremony. She attended with more than 50 neighbours in a tour group.
Chan said she was there to “celebrate the handover and support Hong Kong and China”.
As the flag-raising ceremony was underway, about 20 people, including League of Social Democrats lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, marched to the square, calling for the chief executive to step down and for Beijing to release political prisoners and grant real democracy to Hong Kong.
Speaking at the Communist Party celebration in Beijing, President Xi said: “Our confidence and determination on the ‘one country, two systems’ principle is absolutely unswerving, no matter what kind of difficulty or challenge we are facing.”
He added that the success of the “one country, two systems” principle, which governs Beijing’s policy on Hong Kong, “has been recognised by the world”.
Additional reporting by Lauren Chan
