Opinion | 2020 Policy Address: What to expect?

By Alan Leung, Blogger specialized in current affairs

Chief Executive Carrie Lam is set to deliver her 2020 Policy Address in the Legislative Council (LegCo) on November 25, after she postponed the original planned public release in October. The primary reason given for the delay was to attend meetings on the development of the Greater Bay Area in Beijing later in the month, citing the need to secure more opportunities for the city's post-pandemic recovery from Beijing.

The policy address has the potential to be a great triumph and the start of a new page in Hong Kong or a massive disaster. Moreover, considering the city's fragile political climate, battered economy and never-ending pandemic, the customary gibberish will certainly be insufficient. The city badly needs something to rally confidence and something for its people to look forward to.

In addition, after the national security law, the new resolution which allows LegCo members who have engaged in acts such as endangering national security, dishonoring their pledge, etc to be summarily unseated and the delaying of the LegCo election, it is imperative that Beijing offer more sweeteners for the less radicalized opposition supporters to win more hearts and mind, while reducing their resentments.

It will be an obvious choice for Lam to focus her policy address attention on the needs to ramp up the city's economy and continuation of pandemic control. The policy address will also include incentives that will make it easier for Hongkongers to live, buy homes and work across the border to improve livelihoods and living standards, while stressing the importance and opportunities available in the Greater Bay Area.

It is extremely important that Lam lays out a comprehensive recovery blueprint and flashes out concrete policies with Beijing to help economic recovery, while focusing on local issues such as decade-old housing problems, opportunities creation and political reforms. Political reforms must include enacting article 23 national security law together with a comprehensive blueprint towards universal suffrage.

Finally, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show the world Hong Kong is still capable of sound politics with the absence of opposition in LegCo. If the Hong Kong Government manages to address some of Hong Kong long-standing issues such as the housing problem during this period of time, they can prove to the people that the problem over the years lies in the opposition parties and their destructive activities.

Thus, the success of the policy address and its implementation will not only represent Hong Kong success or failure but will show the world if Beijing was self-serving or did they make every decision with great consideration of Hong Kong's best interests. We must remember that action will always speak louder than words. Let's pray that Hong Kong government doesn't disappoint us!

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