Chief executive-elect John Lee Ka-chiu gestures after winning the 2022 Chief Executive Election at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, May 8, 2022. (ANDY CHONG/ CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong youth representatives expect chief executive-elect John Lee Ka-chiu will lead the new administration in bringing more hope to the city’s young people by enhancing their upward social mobility and tackling pressing social issues like the shortage of housing.
Chim Shing, vice-president of the Hong Kong United Youth Association, said he hopes the new administration will solve livelihood issues and grasp the opportunities brought by the nation’s development
They voiced those expectations after Lee won the Hong Kong special administrative region’s sixth-term chief executive election on Sunday with 1,416 votes from the Election Committee members.
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Chim Shing, vice-president of the Hong Kong United Youth Association, said he hopes the new administration will solve livelihood issues and grasp the opportunities brought by the nation’s development. He believes these moves will create favorable conditions for young people’s development.
Chim added that the government should increase upward mobility for the young generation, which was also highlighted by Lee during his election campaign.
In his political platform announced on April 29, Lee pledged to offer more development opportunities for the city’s youth and put forward an innovative pilot program, in which 1,000 secondary school students living in subdivided flats would be offered all-encompassing training to help them seek better development.
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Terry Yip Man-pan, a young general research director of the China Resources Enterprises, said he hopes Lee can soon discuss his political platform with the Legislative Council and ensure the youth-related initiatives materialize into concrete policies.
Yip also expects the new-term government to work with enterprises and launch more internship schemes for young students to gain work experience.
Young faces in the Legislative Council also welcomed Lee’s election victory. Lawmaker Frankie Ngan Man-yu suggested that Lee reach out to more stakeholders from different sectors and discuss concrete plans to implement the policy goals in his political manifesto.
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Another young legislator Edward Leung Hei said he hopes the government will maintain good communication with the community and further strengthen the relationship between the executive and legislative branches.
Lee is expected to assume office as Hong Kong’s new chief executive on July 1, after his appointment by the central government.