Incoming chief exec has high hopes for Hong Kong’s future

Hong Kong: Chief executive-designate, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuetngor, says she hopes Hong Kong will take advantage of Chinas increasing economic power to seek new impetus for its long-term prosperity and stability.

Lam, the first female chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said she is optimistic of China’s future development and that Hong Kong’s rapid growth as an international financial centre and regional business hub could not have been achieved without the nation’s economic takeoff since the reform and opening-up.

“Based on my experience as a civil servant over the past 30 years, I believe Hong Kong’s future is very promising, thanks to our country’s rise as an emerging economic power”, Lam said.

She said Hong Kong can always find a new growth point under the context of national development.

“The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping will provide new opportunities for us to move forward and maintain our advantage as a regional service centre,” she said.

Lam said Hong Kong could use its experience in asset management and risk management to make a contribution to the nation’s major development plans, including the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) and the Belt and Road Initiative.

After being elected as Hong Kongs fifth chief executive in March, Lam pledged to do her utmost to uphold the one country, two systems principle and guard Hong Kong’s core values.

She also promised to address issues concerning the city’s future development, such as applying new resources to education, tackling housing problems and introducing new financial and tax measures.

Lam, who was former chief secretary of administration, said Hong Kong has fallen behind in the Internet Plus industry, but “It will be the next government priority.