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| No.1 February, 2014 |
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2014 Policy Address maps out a comprehensive blueprint for Hong Kong |
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 On 15 January, the Chief Executive Mr C Y Leung presented his second annual Policy Address entitled “Support the Needy, Let Youth Flourish, Unleash Hong Kong's Potential”. It outlined the Hong Kong Government’s priorities in the next few years.
Unleashing Hong Kong’s Economic Potential
The financial services sector remains the cornerstone of the Hong Kong economy, and the Government will focus on adding impetus to Renminbi business, asset and wealth management and real estate investment trusts. The Government will continue to support the development of Hong Kong’s tourism, professional services and logistics industries as well as actively promote the city as an intellectual property trading hub and a centre of dispute resolution services in the Asia Pacific region.
Hong Kong is stepping up its efforts in exploring new markets. This is reflected in its plan to commence in early 2014 formal negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). |
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Nurturing the Next Generation
In order to help fulfil young people’s aspirations, the Government aims provide them with diversified learning, training and development opportunities through policy initiatives such as: |
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- Addition of 2,120 subsidised places for local students to pursue degree education in and outside Hong Kong
- Enhancing life planning at schools, alongside repositioning of vocational education and integrating the latter with employment support
- Funding to support equal learning opportunities of needy students, including overseas exchange programmes, university hostels, after-school learning and support programmes
- Launch of two Youth Hostel Scheme projects. Together with the two ongoing projects, they will provide about 1,000 hostel spaces.
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Poverty Alleviation, Care for the Elderly and Support for the Disadvantaged
The Government strives to alleviate poverty by encouraging young people and adults to become self-sufficient through employment. It will introduce a Low-income Working Family Allowance and increase work incentives in the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme.
The Government is providing the elderly with increased subsidies for community care and healthcare services, as well as increasing residential care places. Services for ethnic minorities will continue to be improved to stimulate better integration into the wider community. Persons with disabilities will also enjoy further support regarding their needs in schooling, rehabilitation, transportation and employment.
Other Priority Areas
The Government is working hard to combat the issue of housing supply in Hong Kong. As a result, this year’s Policy Address includes a new target to provide 470,000 units in the next ten years, with public housing accounting for 60 percent of this. In any new developments, cycling friendly environments will be a priority.
On air quality, Hong Kong continues to phase out old diesel commercial vehicles and will legislate the use of low-sulphur diesel by vessels at berth.
The Government will also devise a quantity-based municipal solid waste charging mechanism.
Hong Kong will continue to recruit overseas doctors to meet our manpower demand. To help pursue excellence in the practice of Chinese medicine, the Government has reserved land for setting up the city’s first Chinese medicine hospital.
From 2015-16, a range of cultural and arts facilities in the 40-hectare West Kowloon Cultural District will be made available in stages.
The Government is committed to advancing constitutional development. It is conducting a public consultation on the methods for selecting the Chief Executive in 2017 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2016.
For the full Policy Address text, please click here. |
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