Policy Address postponed

October 12, 2020

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:
The Policy Address of the Chief Executive is a very important event. It is exactly because it is a very important event that I hope very much to be able to use the 2020 Policy Address to instill more confidence amongst Hong Kong people because Hong Kong has gone through a very, very difficult year with the social unrest, the COVID-19 epidemic, and also some international sanctions. 

I have been working on this Policy Address with that very objective in mind, knowing that it is of huge significance and that's why I have been putting forward proposals for the Central People's Government to consider and they have responded positively lately. There's absolutely no arbitrary delay. They have responded very positively lately with the suggestion that since the proposals from the Chief Executive encompass a range of subjects, and some of them need further discussion, the best way forward is for the Chief Executive to go to Beijing and personally explain why these measures are important for Hong Kong so that they could be featured in the Policy Address for the purpose that I have just described to you. 

So let me clarify again that the Policy Address is a very important event. There is absolutely no intention on my part to belittle my own Policy Address.

You mentioned about a real reason, I have already given you the real reason why I need to delay this Policy Address maybe to the end of November. I also need to clarify because you mentioned about meeting with President Xi Jinping. I have no scheduled meeting with President Xi during his visit to Shenzhen.

My only purpose of going to Shenzhen is upon invitation. I'm leading a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation to participate or to attend the celebration events on October 14. But the main purpose of the postponement is because of the possibility of positive things and policies coming out from my discussions with the Central People's Government, the various ministries and commissions, and that's the main purpose.

(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today announced she will postpone her Policy Address to seek the central government’s support for proposals to aid Hong Kong’s recovery.

Speaking to the media this morning, Mrs Lam said the Policy Address is a very important event.

“It is exactly because it is a very important event that I hope very much to be able to use the 2020 Policy Address to instill more confidence among Hong Kong people because Hong Kong has gone through a very, very difficult year with the social unrest, the COVID-19 epidemic, and also some international sanctions.”

Mrs Lam said she has put forward a series of economic recovery proposals to the central government for its consideration.

“There's absolutely no arbitrary delay. They have responded very positively lately with the suggestion that since the proposals from the Chief Executive encompass a range of subjects, and some of them need further discussion, the best way forward is for the Chief Executive to go to Beijing and personally explain why these measures are important for Hong Kong so that they could be featured in the Policy Address.

“There is absolutely no intention on my part to belittle my own Policy Address.”

Mrs Lam added she will go to Beijing to discuss the proposals with various ministries and commissions later this month.

Depending on the progress of the talks, Mrs Lam said she aims to deliver her Policy Address by the end of November.

Additionally, the Chief Executive will go to Shenzhen in the afternoon to attend the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone’s establishment on October 14.

She said: “I have no scheduled meeting with President Xi during his visit to Shenzhen.

“My only purpose of going to Shenzhen is upon invitation. I'm leading a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government delegation to participate or to attend the celebration events on October 14.”