Editorial | With bold reform, Hong Kong can embark on new chapter with confidence

The 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China was marked yesterday with ceremony, celebration and much-needed contemplation of the challenges that lie ahead. Hong Kong is at a critical stage of its development. The city has steadily emerged from the anti-government protests of 2019 and the pandemic. A new chapter has begun. Now, it is about seizing opportunities. The word on everyone’s lips is reform.

Beijing’s liaison office chief, Zhou Ji, set the tone, calling on the city to move with the times, focus on people’s needs and unleash potential with new ideas. Innovative reform is required, he said.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu reiterated the theme yesterday. He set out achievements made in his first three years in office, including changing the culture of government to one which is “result-oriented”, passing domestic national security laws, tackling the housing shortage and taking steps to revive the economy.

Bold measures are needed. The structure of the government, inherited from the British, is ripe for reform. Lee has rightly advocated a new accountability system for civil servants. But further and more far-reaching change is needed to boost the government’s efficiency.

Hong Kong needs to transform its economy in a fast-developing environment, securing elite talent, embracing technology, finding new markets and developing innovative products. This applies even in areas such as finance, one of its traditional strengths. It is good to see that two tech entrepreneurs from the mainland were among recent new appointments to the Chief Executive’s Council of Advisers, including founder and CEO of Unitree Robotics, Wang Xingxing.