Hong Kong's John Lee meets new liaison office chief, vows to pursue fresh growth
Hong Kong's leader has pledged to identify fresh areas for economic growth as he expressed confidence in working with the newly appointed director of Beijing's liaison office to speed up the city's development.
Advertisement
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the remarks as he met office director Zhou Ji at Government House on Saturday. They exchanged views on the city's challenges and opportunities and discussed ways to promote its long-term prosperity and stability.
The State Council, China's cabinet, announced late on Friday it had appointed Zhou, the executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), to lead the central government's liaison office, replacing Zheng Yanxiong.
Lee said in the meeting the government would focus on creating new pathways for development as the city was undergoing an economic transformation, according to an official statement.
'Hong Kong is currently undergoing an economic transformation, and ... the government will uphold fundamental principles while breaking new ground, endeavour to take forward reforms and continue to lead all sectors of Hong Kong society to embrace changes and strive for innovation, actively exploring new areas of development and growth.'
Liaison office chief Zhou Ji (second left) with city leader John Lee (second right). Also attending the meeting was the director of the Chief Executive's Office, Carol Yip Man-kuen (right). Photo: ISD
He also expressed confidence in working with Zhou on aligning the city with national strategies, implementing the governing principles of 'one country, two systems' and 'the people of Hong Kong administering Hong Kong' with a high degree of autonomy, while safeguarding constitutional order.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
32 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
XPrize founder Peter Diamandis projects hope for AI, biotech amid US-China tech war
Peter Diamandis, the entrepreneur behind the XPrize Foundation, has long championed a future of technological promise, building a career on innovation competitions meant to solve grand challenges. But in a recent conversation in Hong Kong, a subtle shift in tone emerged as he addressed the current complexities of global scientific collaboration, clouded by geopolitical tensions and the looming threat of technological decoupling. Advertisement 'One of the things that is important to realise is that human biology is conserved across 8 billion people, as is math and physics and chemistry,' he said. 'So a breakthrough by a brilliant entrepreneur or scientist in Beijing is fully usable and accessible by a brilliant scientist in Boston. That elevates humanity as a whole.' His cosmopolitan vision of scientific progress stands in contrast to the current political climate, in which the US, under the administration of President Donald Trump, has sought to curb international student visas and made drastic cuts to scientific funding and universities. 'There's a huge amount of concern,' Diamandis said, pointing specifically to the cuts at the National Institutes of Health. 'Unless it gets corrected and changed back, I think that the cuts being made … will have long-term implications to the speed of scientific discoveries.' Diamandis spoke with the Post on May 28 while visiting Hong Kong for the UBS Asian Investment Conference. He is perhaps best known for incentivising breakthroughs through his XPrize competitions, which served as an early catalyst for the private space flight industry that spawned companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. Discussing the more positive aspects of technological progress is clearly where he feels most comfortable. Advertisement 'Our brains are wired for fear and scarcity, and my job through my work is to help people see the world in a different fashion,' he said.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Thematic Hong Kong AI and biotech ETFs may be offered on Saudi Exchange
Thematic exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking Hong Kong-listed artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology firms could be listed on the Saudi Exchange, which would pave the way for cross-border listings and closer ties between the two markets, according to the CEO of the largest bourse in the Middle East. Hong Kong companies might also have a chance to list by offering depositary receipts on the Riyadh-based exchange, also known as Tadawul, under new rules proposed by Saudi Arabia's regulator, said Saudi Exchange's Mohammed Sulaiman Al-Rumaih in an interview at the Capital Market Forum in Hong Kong on Thursday. 'What we have heard from some fund managers is that they are exploring some thematic ETFs of Hong Kong [stocks] to list on Tadawul,' he said. 'This is something that we are excited about.' There was investor appetite for themes like AI and biotechnology and fund managers hoped to build on the success of ETFs already listed on Tadawul, he said. Gong-striking ceremony to mark the debut of Premia BOCHK Saudi Arabia Government Sukuk ETF in Hong Kong on May 29. Photo: Enoch Yiu Al-Rumaih was also present at the listing of the Premia BOCHK Saudi Arabia Government Sukuk ETF on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The city's first Islamic bond ETF closed 1.8 per cent higher on its debut on Thursday.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Can Rodrigo Duterte serve as Davao mayor from ICC detention?
Advertisement The post he won is no ordinary local office. It is the mayorship of Davao City, the southern Philippine metropolis that has long served as the Duterte family's political stronghold – a position he held for more than two decades before ascending to the presidency in 2016. But despite his electoral triumph, Duterte's return to Davao's city hall remains far from certain. His victory in May's midterm election has triggered a surreal legal and diplomatic conundrum in the Philippines: can a man imprisoned in an international detention facility legally assume the office of mayor? The International Criminal Court in The Hague, where Duterte is set to be tried for crimes against humanity. Photo: AP A legal impossibility? The answer to the quandary, according to legal experts, is almost certainly no.
