Hong Kong leader John Lee convenes first cabinet meeting to discuss to-do list from Xi Jinping, vows to lobby for ‘limited measures’ to reopen border
- First formal meeting with team comes two days after Xi set out list of four expectations for Lee and his colleagues
- Source says meeting mainly discussed matters such as political principles and governing style
Hong Kong’s new leader convened his first cabinet meeting on Sunday morning to define priorities and discuss a to-do list from Chinese President Xi Jinping as he set out as a key task lobbying for a “limited reopening” of the border with mainland China.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who was sworn in by Xi on Friday, said he had demanded all his 21 principal officials to be “committed, independent and efficient” in tackling matters within their respective policy areas.
His first formal meeting with his team, which a source said lasted nearly three hours, came two days after Xi set out a list of four expectations for Lee and his colleagues to improve governance, boost momentum for development, solve people’s livelihood woes and safeguard social harmony and stability.
“Good internal communication is a core element in forming a successful and efficient team,” Lee wrote on his social media page on Sunday following the meeting. “I would regard the four expectations floated by Xi as the key direction and blueprint for my new administration.
“With results [in policy execution], we would narrow the differences and build up mutual trust [between the people and the government], so that Hong Kong will become a city that is full of hope, more liveable and more open.”
A senior official said the meeting was to prepare for the busy week ahead as Lee prepared to chair his first meeting with his advisers in the Executive Council on Tuesday and to be grilled by lawmakers for the first time in a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council the day after.
“Everyone had the chance to share their views on how we should work with each other, divide our work, and engage the public [in the first meeting],” the source said, adding that different senior officials had separate meetings on Sunday afternoon to discuss policy issues such as the pandemic and border reopening.