HKSAR gov't to further improve people's livelihood

HONG KONG, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- John Lee, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), on Wednesday unveiled a series of measures in his policy address aimed at improving people's livelihood, with a focus on employment, poverty alleviation, and family support.

"Improving people's livelihood is my key policy priority. The economy and people's livelihood are mutually reinforcing," Lee said.

Lee said that the HKSAR government will ensure the employment priority of local workers. It will also strengthen labor protection, including protecting digital platform workers, and enhancing occupational safety and health.

The HKSAR government has agreed to the new mechanism of adopting a formula for implementing the annual review of the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) rate proposed by the Minimum Wage Commission. The first SMW rate derived under the new mechanism is expected to take effect on May 1, 2026, according to Lee.

Regarding poverty alleviation, the HKSAR government will continue to adopt a targeted approach by directing resources to those most in need. Key measures include injecting 180 million HK dollars (about 23.14 million U.S. dollars) into the Child Development Fund to continue implementing projects promoting the long-term development of upper primary students from disadvantaged communities.

The HKSAR government will implement further measures under the multipronged policy approach to promote fertility, by extending the claim period of the additional child allowance for newborns from one year to two years, and further enhancing infant and child day care services.

Other measures to improve livelihood include increasing housing supply, enhancing care for the elderly, and supporting people in rehabilitation.