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"Proactively flexible, Innovative and pragmatic" The DAB's response to the 2024 Policy Address

Oct 16, 2024


The DAB warmly welcomes and supports Chief Executive Mr. John Lee's 2024 Policy Address, believing it embodies the government's proactively flexible, innovative and pragmatic spirit. The DAB agrees that the Policy Address actively and prudently advances development across all sectors, focusing on economic development to strengthen Hong Kong's international status in finance, shipping, and trade, and to transform Hong Kong into a hub for international high-calibre talent. These policy measures will promote new development opportunities and will further deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. The DAB gladly notes that Chief Executive Mr. John Lee has accepted our proposals, including developing the low-altitude economy, promoting the new energy economy, developing the "Northern Metropolis University Town," reducing liquor duty rate, transforming the Kai Tak Community Isolation Facility into a "Youth Post" hostel and spaces for cultural and art exchanges for youths, establishing the "Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board," streamlining the listing vetting procedures, and various measures to integrate into the national development.


In terms of improving people’s livelihoods, we believe that the Policy Address is citizen-oriented, presenting various measures to address the difficulties faced by the people. We welcome these initiatives.


Hong Kong is advancing from stability to prosperity and has fulfilled its constitutional responsibility to enact local legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law. However, the work of safeguarding national security does not cease. To ensure effective prevention of external threats and elimination of internal risks, we support the measures proposed in the Policy Address, including training mentors for promoting national security, as well as conducting activities to promote patriotic education. These efforts aim to build a peaceful and stable social environment, ensuring the steadfast and successful implementation of "One Country, Two Systems."


The DAB will fully support the Policy Address and fulfill our duties in the Legislative Council to assist in the timely and effective implementation of the policy measures proposed in the Policy Address for the benefit of the economy and people's livelihoods.

Regarding the various measures in the Policy Address, DAB Legislative Council members have the following opinions:


Mr. Gary Chan Hak Kan supports the proposals in the Policy Address to establish a green fuel bunkering centre, develop green fuel technology, and establish a green fuel reserve centre. He believes that these measures will greatly benefit both the aviation and shipping industries and will help leverage the country's development advantages in these areas and its leading position globally. He is also confident that when Hong Kong becomes a green fuel bunkering centre, it will help consolidate and enhance the city's status as a shipping and aviation hub. Additionally, the establishment of a demonstration base for green hydrogen production in Hong Kong will showcase the country's advanced technology through Hong Kong and enable institutions to utilize Hong Kong as a base for fundraising and financing.

Ms. Starry Lee Wai King welcomes the alignment of the Policy Address with the "Resolution" passed at the Third Plenary Session and emphasizes Hong Kong's integration into national development and the Greater Bay Area, including initiatives to promote the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen I&T Park in the Loop and leverage the strengths of the GBA to expand capacity. Furthermore, regarding the Chief Executive's efforts to resume the "multiple-entry" Individual Visit Endorsements for Shenzhen residents and expand the coverage of pilot cities for implementing policies on the "one trip per week" Individual Visit Endorsements, Ms. Starry Lee believes this will boost the retail and catering industries in Hong Kong and further stimulate the recovery of the tourism sector.


Mr. Kennedy Wong Ying Ho believes that the Policy Address's acceptance of the DAB's proposal to reduce liquor duty rate can boost Hong Kong's commerce, trading and tourism industries and position Hong Kong as a hub for the liquor trade in Asia, enhancing its competitiveness in the region while also balancing considerations for public health. We hope the government will leverage the attractiveness of adjusting liquor duty rate to invite mainland liquor producers to visit Hong Kong, explore opportunities for establishing sales outlets for exports, and collaborate under the "Mega Events" brand to host more international liquor exhibitions and related events. This will rapidly establish a platform for industry exchange and market promotion, driving the local catering and tourism sectors in a synergistic manner. Mr. Kennedy Wong also welcomes the government's increased support for small and medium enterprises, aiding them in their upgrading and transformation, including the re-launch of the principal moratorium, injecting HK$1 billion into the BUD Fund, and expanding the geographical subsidy coverage of the "E-commerce Easy" to include all ten ASEAN countries.


Mr. Steven Ho Chun Yin points out that currently, Chinese liquor trade accounts for only 10% of Hong Kong's total liquor trade, suggesting significant room for market expansion in this area. He hopes that the government will strengthen its connections with relevant liquor traders.


Ms Elizabeth Quat points out that the Policy Address has adopted a number of proposals from the DAB for the development of low-altitude economy, including establishing a Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy to initiate projects on low-altitude applications, designate specific venues for such purposes, formulate regulations and construction systems, draw up regulations and design the institutional set-up, study and map out plans to develop the required infrastructure and networks, and promote integration with the mainland. She believes this reflects the government's performance of being "pragmatic, innovative, and proactive." Furthermore, Ms Elizabeth Quat notes a series of policies in innovation and technology, which she believes will help attract more talent, funds, and businesses to settle in Hong Kong and drive the development of Hong Kong's innovation and technology sector.


In terms of financial development, the Policy Address has accepted many proposals from the DAB, including simplifying the listing procedures and shortening the listing approval time. Regarding building an international gold trading market, Mr. Rock Chen Chung Nin emphasized the significance of this policy and believed that a gold trading centre could spur the development of related industry chain, ranging from investment transactions, derivatives, insurance, storage, to trading and logistic services. If Hong Kong can explore with the mainland authorities on the inclusion of gold-related products in the mutual market access, it has the opportunity to become the international gold pricing centre during the Asian trading hours. Creating a commodity trading ecosystem is not just about trading but also integrating the functions of commerce, trading, maritime, and financial centre within the same ecosystem, which is worth promoting and supporting.


Mr. Holden Chow Ho Ting supports the establishment of the "Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board" and believes that in the long term, the authorities should consider enhancing the powers and functions of the "Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board" to elevate its status to a statutory body, effectively driving the overall development of the maritime and logistics industry.


Mr. Frankie Ngan Man Yu welcomes the government's proactive response to the DAB's proposal to build Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent, including expanding the list of universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme to 198 universities by adding 13 top Mainland and overseas universities, and updating the Talent List based on the needs of the "eight centres." These measures will help attract more outstanding talent to Hong Kong. Furthermore, Mr. Frankie Ngan points out that the government has also responded positively in terms of worker training, such as reforming the Employees Retraining Board, removing the academic qualification ceiling to allow more workers to participate in transformation and upgrading. He also supports the government's establishment of the "GBA Youth Employment Scheme" to lower the barriers for Hong Kong youth to work in the Greater Bay Area.


Ms. Lillian Kwok Ling Lai supports the establishment of the "Committee on Education, Technology and Talents" and the introduction of a bill next year to amend the Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance to improve the regulatory and quality development mechanisms of self-financing post-secondary institutions. Additionally, Ms Lillian Kwok welcomes the government's proactive response to the content of patriotic education, incorporating suggestions on the curriculum framework. Furthermore, the government has also adopted the DAB's suggestions on student mental health, strengthening support for children and adolescents, including the extension and enhancement of the Three-Tier School-based Emergency Mechanism.


Mr. Vincent Cheng Wing Shun commends the Policy Address for proposing a roadmap and timeline to bid farewell to subdivided units, and looks forward to promptly meeting with the authorities to discuss the execution and legislative details, including how to effectively eliminate substandard subdivided units, reasonably relocate affected residents, and establish standards for legal Basic Housing Units. Additionally, Mr. Vincent Cheng anticipates the prompt release of the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development, to implement the roles in various sectors of the arts and creative industries, as well as to announce governance reforms for national sports associations(NSAs).


Mr. Chan Hok Fung supports allocating an extra ballot number for applicants who have failed to purchase a SSF in the last two consecutive sale exercises of the same type of SSF, believing that such measures can help young families better plan their homeownership plans. Furthermore, regarding the Housing Authority's review of the ratio between PRH and SSF, gradually adjusting from the current 7:3 to 6:4, Mr. Chan Hok Fung believes that in the long run, the authorities should abandon the ratio and instead adopt a "demand-driven" approach to determine the relevant unit supply to meet various housing needs of the public.

Mr. Edward Lau Kwok Fan welcomes the government's acceptance of the DAB's proposal to adopt "a large-scale land-disposal approach" to expedite development of the Northern Metropolis and looks forward to further details on three land parcels, each occupying 10 to 20 hectares as pilot sites. Furthermore, he points out that the Development Bureau has requested departments to adopt a mindset of facilitating development and promoting cooperation, streamlining administrative procedures related to development. Therefore, he requests the authorities to publicly disclose simplified guidelines for review by councillors and the public, aiming to enhance project development progress.


In regards to improvement of district governance and implementation of the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong, Mr. Chan Yung supports the Policy Address for adopting the suggestions of the DAB to regularize funding for care teams and to increase the subsidy amount by 50% in the next allocation to support the work of care teams.


Furthermore, in light of the upcoming 80th anniversary of commemorating Victory Day of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese, both Mr. Chan Yung and Ms. Starry Lee hope that the government will enhance the promotion of patriotism education and celebratory activities. They also urge for the prompt selection of a site for the museum to showcase the development and achievements of our country, the launch of a series of exhibitions, and the introduction of historical paths of the war of resistance against Japanese. These initiatives are aimed at enabling students to understand the history of the war of resistance while fostering a sense of national identity.

 

Press enquiries: DAB Chairperson Mr. Gary Chan Hak Kan 2524 9191 / 5275 5581

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