HONG KONG, October 16—Fifty candidates vying for seats in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council delivered their campaign platforms today at a government-organized forum held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, focusing heavily on economic integration with mainland China, national security, and addressing the territory’s aging population. The forum, designated for the Election Committee constituency—mandated under the city’s revised “patriots-only” electoral system—featured individual policy introductions rather than the traditional debate format, signaling a unified focus among the contenders.
The event drew several high-profile attendees from the city’s political and business elite, including National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Standing Committee member Henry Tang and National People’s Congress delegate Lam Chi-wing, underscoring the weight placed on this reformed election cycle.
Economic Strategy and Mainland Alignment Dominate Platforms
A recurring theme among candidates was the urgent need to elevate Hong Kong’s economic standing by aligning closer with national development blueprints.
Yiu Pak-leung, a former lawmaker from the tourism sector, emphasized repositioning the industry as a strategic gateway to project Hong Kong and China’s image globally. He stressed that tourism must be elevated beyond a simple livelihood industry to a strategic asset, requiring cross-sector and cross-department collaboration to succeed.
Highlighting the digital transformation sweeping industries worldwide, Man Wing-yee proposed leveraging Hong Kong’s established expertise in professional consulting and high-value services to promote greater technological application across all sectors. She also underscored the imperative of capitalizing on opportunities presented by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Echoing this focus on national integration, corporate manager Lau Ka-keung vowed to utilize his business acumen in the council to seize opportunities presented by the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan. Lau stressed the critical nature of this period for Hong Kong’s transition from chaos to governance—known locally as “yiu ji gik hing”—and committed to prioritizing national security.
He Jun-yin of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) announced a pivot from his three terms serving the fisheries and agriculture sector to concentrate on developing a “blue economy” blueprint. He argued that the potential of Hong Kong’s marine economy, which encompasses luxury yachting and marine tourism, remains largely untapped due to a lack of coordinated policy and infrastructure.
Social Welfare and Legal Framework Revisions
While economic development was central, several candidates distinguished themselves by focusing on social challenges and the city’s complex legal standing.
Kwan Ho-ming drew attention to Hong Kong’s rapidly aging demographics, asserting that his background in social welfare provided him with a crucial edge over his competitors. Citing an expected 800,000 residents over the age of 80 within the next decade, Kwan called for an urgent blueprint to manage the deepening social welfare demands of an elderly society.
On the legal front, Rex Ng Ying-pang, a barrister practicing in both Hong Kong and mainland China, advocated for perfecting the local legal framework to counter foreign sanctions. He argued that given the intensifying global rivalry, Hong Kong must proactively participate in the development of China’s foreign-related legal system and international rule-making.
Vision for Global Hong Kong and Cultural Identity
Rounding out the policy discussions, some candidates focused on preserving and enhancing Hong Kong’s unique international identity.
Chris Ho King-hong of the New People’s Party committed to safeguarding the city’s international status, even aiming to solidify its position as the world’s top financial hub. In a notable moment, he integrated culture into his platform by briefly singing lyrics from the classic Cantopop song, “Bauhinia,” symbolizing Hong Kong’s distinct vibrancy. Ho also proposed that Hong Kong, in conjunction with the Greater Bay Area, should consider bidding to host the Olympic Games.
Furthermore, Fun Chun-wah focused the need to develop robust national and national security education programs while actively promoting business diversification toward non-traditional markets, including BRI nations and Russia.
Lam Chun-sing, representing the Federation of Trade Unions, offered policy suggestions that addressed both labor needs and cross-border integration, advocating for the alignment of construction industry standards within the Greater Bay Area to facilitate talent mobility and accelerate the necessary infrastructure and planning for the Northern Metropolis development zone.
The forum, which concluded around 5 p.m., underscored the legislative body’s renewed focus on national priorities and strategic alignment with central government policies, reflecting the shift in Hong Kong’s political landscape under the new electoral mandate.
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