HONG KONG - Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu listened on Sunday in Mong Kok to the views and suggestions of members of local communities on the upcoming Policy Address.

Lee led his team of 21 principal officials in attend the second 2024 Policy Address District Forum at Queen Elizabeth School, where about 120 people from different backgrounds participated in the discussions, according to a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government statement.

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"I am very pleased to have had direct interactions with members of the public in the District Forums today and last Sunday to listen to their views on the Policy Address and their aspirations for Hong Kong,” Lee was quoted as saying in the statement.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the participants for offering their valuable views, which will enable us to better meet the needs of the community and benefit more people when formulating policy measures and allocating resources,” he added.

Lee said the affection and expectations expressed by the participants towards Hong Kong are “a great encouragement to our continued efforts.”

“The government will spare no efforts in devising effective measures, doing solid work to deliver results, and charting a brighter tomorrow for Hong Kong,” he said.

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In the forum’s first session, Lee and the principal officials listened to the views of members of the public on various matters, including land and housing, transport, innovation and technology, financial services development, cultural and creative industries, education, youth issues, poverty alleviation and support for the disadvantaged, healthcare and more.

In the second session, the participants were divided into four groups that centered on the themes of "pursuing development and economic growth" and "improving people's livelihood in pursuit of happiness" to engage in more extensive discussions with the chief executive and the principal officials.

Lee also interacted with members of each group and listened to their views.

He said the HKSAR government has held more than 30 consultation sessions in different activities, including two District Forums, since launching the public consultation on July 16 to tap the views and suggestions of representatives from different sectors and members of the public on the Policy Address.

“My team and I will continue to meet with representatives from various sectors and visit different districts to listen to public views and actively unite different sectors of the community to build a 'vibrant economy for a caring community'," Lee said.