This file photo dated Mar 12, 2021 shows the exterior of the headquarters of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, south China. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will inaugurate a new “interactive question-and-answer session”in the Legislative Council next week to make it easier for interaction and communication between the chief executive and lawmakers in reaching a consensus on issues of major concern.
Speaking to the media ahead of an Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Lee said the plan has received support after he raised it with LegCo President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen. The first session, to be held on May 18, will focus on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the spirit of the nation’s two sessions.
Lee’s confident that the new arrangement would give full play to the power and value of “patriots administering Hong Kong” – something he came to realize during his tour of the Greater Bay Area
The new question-and-answer session will combine all the advantages of the existing Q&A session, motion debates, and questions to address crucial, macro and strategic problems, Lee said.
READ MORE: HK legislators hail Xia's LegCo visit as milestone
At the upcoming session, legislators can ask questions and express their views, and the chief executive may answer them or accept their views. Council members can also raise other issues that aren’t related to the theme of the meeting, he said.
Lee said he got inspiration for the approach during his visit to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area last month, when he led a delegation of principal government officials and lawmakers touring Chinese mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area.
The visit was unprecedented in scale, with members of the Executive Council and lawmakers taking part. Lee believes the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the legislature need to be more united in strengthening consensus, aligning their goals, and adopting a higher vision of major national and international affairs.
Lee’s confident that the new arrangement would give full play to the power and value of “patriots administering Hong Kong” – something he came to realize during his tour of the Greater Bay Area.
READ MORE: Legislative Council by-election scheduled for March
The new question-and-answer session will be open and broadcast live, enabling residents to watch it on various channels and learn more about government policies and affairs.