HK to set up task force to boost AI efficiency, says Chief Executive

China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will establish a task force to enhance the city's AI efficiency, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said when delivering his annual Policy Address on Wednesday. The task force aims to coordinate and guide government departments in effectively applying AI technologies.

This year's Policy Address designed to deepen reforms for the people, boost the economy, and enhance livelihoods, while leveraging the city's strengths, media reported.

The establishment of "AI Efficacy Enhancement Team" aims to drive technological reform, coordinating and steering government departments in the effective use of AI, and in the re-engineering of outdated workflows, according to the speech of Lee published on HKSAR government's website.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government will promote the development of AI+ with strong emphasis on safety risk prevention, and implement AI government services and facilitate the wide-scale application and development of AI across different sectors in the society to boost overall efficiency, said Lee.

The SAR government will leverage Hong Kong's strength as a platform for going global to reinforce the role of Hong Kong as an international center, capitalizing on its advantages in areas such as finance, trading, professional services, supply chain management and professional networks, creating more jobs and higher income, further promoting the headquarters economy to unlock more business opportunities, said Lee.

The chief executive said it is the city's economy is expected to grow by 2 to 3 percent this year, according to Now TV.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in its war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Lee said the HKSAR government will host a series of large-scale events, including working with Shenzhen to launch a new red culture-themed experiential study tour route, according to Hong Kong media reports.

The initiative aims to deepen public and tourist understanding of Hong Kong's wartime history, while comprehensively cataloguing, restoring, and protecting local sites related to the Communist Party of China's resistance efforts, integrating them into educational tours and activities.

The HKSAR government will also promote patriotic education facilities on the Chinese mainland, incorporating them into Hong Kong's patriotic education bases to encourage more students and young people to participate in visits, said Lee.

Hong Kong's Education Bureau will continue to integrate patriotic education into daily teaching and learning, while strengthening programs such as the training scheme for student ambassadors on the Constitution and the Basic Law.

The HKSAR will continue to improve the legal framework and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security, making every effort to prevent, stop and punish acts that endanger national security. It will adhere to the principles of "laws must be observed, enforcement must be strict, and violations must be punished," while continuing to promote national security education.

In addition, the government will firmly implement the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" and improve district governance. Preparations are underway for the eighth-term Legislative Council elections to be held on December 7, with a commitment to ensuring that the election is fair, just, honest, safe and orderly.