Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu emphasized that ethnic minorities are an integral part of Hong Kong’s community as he pledged support for their integration into society during a public consultation session for the upcoming Policy Address.
Lee underscored that “ethnic minorities are part of the family” of Hong Kong and expressed his aspiration for their successful integration for collective development. His comments came during the second public consultation held in Yuen Long on Sunday, which was attended by 120 residents.
A Muslim resident called for improved religious facilities, suggesting the establishment of prayer rooms throughout the city to support religious needs, which he noted could also benefit travelers from the Middle East. Another ethnic minority representative expressed hope for enhanced language learning support.
Lee acknowledged these concerns, stating that ethnic minorities constitute an integral part of the community. He noted that the government has allocated additional resources to support their Chinese learning and that service centers for ethnic minorities have been strengthened.
In a separate economic initiative, Lee said the government will promote a “headquarters economy” to attract more companies from mainland China and overseas to establish regional headquarters, regional offices, and local offices in Hong Kong.
Quoting data, Lee said a record number of overseas firms, including both mainland and international ones, are registering in Hong Kong. He expressed belief that retaining foreign direct investment could boost development across various sectors and enhance the impetus for economic growth in Hong Kong.
