Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu speaks during a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Council, Hong Kong, July 6, 2022. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu introduced a series of new initiatives to optimize policymaking, strengthen exchanges with lawmakers, and establish working groups on key livelihood issues while hosting his first question-and-answer session in the city’s legislature on Wednesday.

In his opening speech, Lee said he will set up a “chief executive policy unit” to better facilitate policy formulation. The unit will focus on analyzing Hong Kong’s development needs and offer advice to Lee, allowing the city leader to formulate comprehensive policies to serve the city and the country’s demands.

Lee said that every month, the government’s department secretaries and deputy secretaries will lead a team of bureau chiefs that will visit the legislature to discuss key issues with lawmakers. Lee said he hopes that the exchanges will develop a positive relationship between the executive and legislative branches, and help officials better understand the public’s needs.

In the first such talk, Lee will head a team that will comprise Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, and Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok, plus their deputies.

In an effort to build a “results-oriented” government, Lee said he has ordered the establishment of four high-level task groups to tackle thorny livelihood issues. The task forces will look at intergenerational poverty among disadvantaged young people, land supply, district affairs, and the building of public housing.

For example, the task group on youth poverty will help 2,000 Secondary 1 to 3 students living in subdivided units by providing financial support to them, assisting them with making development plans, and arranging voluntary mentors to offer guidance.

Lee also said that in the first week of the new administration, the government has carried out a wide range of work covering education, services for the elderly, talent attraction, and investment promotion.

Principal officials are required to submit key performance indicators of major projects in August. More detailed policies will be spelled out in October’s Policy Address, which Lee said will be “people-oriented”.

As for pandemic control, Lee stressed the city government will not “lie flat”, which would risk lives and safety of high-risk groups — the elderly, people with chronic diseases, and healthcare workers. Instead, the government will work hard to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 infections.

It will also continue to discuss with Chinese mainland authorities the issue of resuming normal cross-border travels in a practical manner, including exploring arrangements to minimize inconvenience to travelers.

William Xu contributed to this story.  

Contact the writers at bingcun@chinadailyhk.com