Hong Kong policy address key takeaways: Leader Carrie Lam homes in on housing ‘grievances’ and unveils cash sweeteners in bid to rescue city from brink
- Forced to abandon her speech to Legco, chief executive reveals schemes to tap into Hongkongers’ home ownership aspirations in video address
- The 200 initiatives, which include more subsidies for students and low-income households, will help city return to normal, Lam says.
For the first time in Hong Kong’s history, its leader’s policy address was delivered by video after heckling from opposition lawmakers forced Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to abandon her speech in the legislature.
In her 51-minute television broadcast on Wednesday, the embattled leader admitted she faced unprecedented challenges, but said she hoped the policy address would set Hong Kong back on track and called on protesters and others to stop attacking each other.
But to nobody’s surprise, none of the measures addressed protesters’ demands for universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into police's alleged abuse of power. Instead, housing and economic measures were dominant.
1. Hong Kong on the brink
Lam put on a stern face in her opening remarks, saying Hong Kong was on the brink amid increasingly violent anti-government protests as she called on various parts of society to end the turmoil.
She said apart from supporting police against criminal behaviour, the government would invite community leaders, experts and academics to conduct an in-depth and independent examination of the social conflict engulfing Hong Kong and the deep-seated problems that must be addressed.
