By Felicia
As Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee prepares to deliver his Policy Address this year, his administration has launched an extensive public consultation campaign. From community roundtables and district visits to social media engagement and closed-door meetings with business leaders and academics, the government is trying to find out what HK wants.
The Policy Address, a key moment in the city's governance calendar, is meant to set the tone for Hong Kong's political, economic, and social priorities in the coming year. This year, amid global economic uncertainty, ongoing emigration concerns, housing affordability issues, and the need to retain and attract talent, expectations are high.
To the administration's credit, this year's consultation effort appears broader than in the past. John Lee and his team have visited multiple districts, met with youth groups, and opened online channels for public submissions. The use of platforms like Facebook and Instagram suggests a desire to reach beyond traditional political stakeholders.
Yet, this approach — while more visible — people may worry that HK's risks repeating a familiar pattern in the future: wide consultation, narrow execution. In past years, we could see that Lee's government made their dedicated efforts to promise the policy would go smoothly, but with the social development, new public concerns are emerging like mushrooms after the rain, such as housing affordability, healthcare system overloads, and youth upward mobility.
Housing remains the single most pressing issue for most Hong Kong residents, particularly the younger generation. The administration says it is committed to increasing land supply, streamlining procedures, and boosting public housing. But from the perspective of youth, the pace remains slow, and speculative property investment persists, even though it's truly better than before. As a matter of fact, most people wish a truly bold Policy Address would tackle vested interests and propose long-term, cross-sector solutions, rather than incremental tweaks. If the government truly wants to restore public trust and encourage people — especially young families and professionals — to stay in or return to the city, housing reform cannot wait.
Another important factor is that HK needs to attract and retain global and mainland Chinese talent. A forward-looking Policy Address should address both global competitiveness and grassroots realities — offering incentives not just for imported talent, but also for those who have stayed and are still committed to building their lives in Hong Kong.
Consultation is an important first step — but public trust depends on follow-through. From listening to leading, what must Hong Kong's Policy Address do in 2025? What's your opinion?
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
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