Li Jiachao: Governance requires deep cultivation and meticulous work, continue to promote reform and actively seek change.

The Chief Executive, Lee Ka-chiu, is approaching nearly 4 years in office. He posted a short video on social media titled “Deep Cultivation, Seizing the Momentum” (Part 1), sharing the governance philosophy and achievements of the past 4 years.

In the video, Lee Ka-chiu and Senior Special Assistant to the Chief Executive’s Office, Wong Chi-yuen, walk into a community garden. Lee Ka-chiu said that farming generally has four stages—ploughing, sowing, cultivating, and harvesting—just as governance requires deep cultivation. “Ploughing” means identifying problems and ways to solve them; through reforms, barriers are cleared, difficulties and challenges are overcome, and the institutional framework is strengthened. “Sowing” means establishing directions: launching a development blueprint, formulating a 5-year plan, and setting clear guidance for future development. “Cultivating” means using policies and social resources to help citizens who need support. “Harvesting” means seeing the results of governance.

Lee Ka-chiu said that the most enjoyable part of farming is seeing the harvest; likewise, to govern a city well, it takes deep cultivation. The most important thing is for policies to help citizens so that everyone can benefit. He emphasized that the current-term Government continues to push for reform and actively seeks change.

Change the governance culture with results as the goal

Lee Ka-chiu noted that in the past few years, under his leadership, the current-term Government has continued to promote reforms, changing the governance culture to become a results-oriented Government. In addition to giving full play to the institutional advantages of “one country, two systems” and building a solid barrier for safeguarding national security, the Government has dared to break down interest-related enclaves and made efforts to resolve many problems left behind for years in history.

He went on to say that these include tackling land and housing issues through a multi-pronged approach. The average waiting time for public rental housing has been shortened from 6.1 years to 4.7 years, the lowest record in more than 8 years. Nearly 10,000 households have moved into “Simplified Public Housing”, and “Simple Flats” are replacing “subdivided flats” in an orderly manner, supporting stable development in the property market. With “targeted poverty alleviation,” identifying those who are at the back of the queue and most in need of help, multiple measures related to labour rights have gradually begun to take effect. The Government has consolidated and enhanced Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, shipping, and trade center and as an international aviation hub. It has created a hub where international high-end talent can cluster, and has worked hard to develop an international education hub. Major events throughout the year have been steadily held, with culture, sports, and tourism developing in a coordinated manner. It has deepened “AI+” development in an all-round way. It has carried out large-scale efforts to attract businesses, talent, and investment. It has accelerated the construction of the Northern Metropolis and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, further deepening cooperation and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It has proactively integrated into and served the overall national development strategy.

Lee Ka-chiu also mentioned that he and officials in charge have actively visited different places to help enterprises “go global,” tell the Hong Kong story comprehensively, and better play a role in opening up to the outside world.

Identify changes, respond to them, and seek change based on various factors

Lee Ka-chiu stressed that deep cultivation is not something that can be done in just one or two years; it also requires, based on different factors, recognizing change, responding to it, and seeking change. Taking the Fully Controlled Hydroponic Farming Centre as an example: it does not use soil, is not afraid of wind or rain, and uses technology and artificial intelligence to assist farming, with harvests in just a few weeks. This shows that what changes is the form—while what remains unchanged is the spirit of deep cultivation through reform and innovation and through upgrading and transforming industries.

In conclusion, Lee Ka-chiu said that this year is the starting year for the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and Hong Kong is also moving at full speed to compile its first 5-year plan. While consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s traditional strengths, it is even more important to reform and innovate—seeing both challenges and opportunities—opening up new emerging tracks with an industry-oriented approach, and improving citizens’ well-being. He believes that under deep cultivation, Hong Kong’s future will surely deliver even more fruitful results.