Ken Chu

Opinion | How John Lee can boost Hong Kong by unlocking its potential in finance, technology and art

To restore Hong Kong’s global standing, Lee could do worse than taking his cues from China’s five-year plan, which sets out a vision for developing the city into a hub for innovation and cultural exchange

The combination of finance, technology and art is a winning one – just look at the cosmic rise of NFTs

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Billboards promoting the NFT project Monkey Kingdom are seen in Hong Kong on November 21, 2021, amid an expanding NFT market. Photo: XGD Media

Ken Chu

Published: 6:45am, 27 Apr 2022

John Lee Ka-chiu, the sole candidate in next month’s chief executive election, has made three broad pledges for his term, namely, to adopt a “results-oriented” approach to governance, to harness Hong Kong’s global competitiveness and to build a stronger foundation for the city’s future development.

Public reaction to Lee’s election bid has been positive. Business and political heavyweights have hailed Lee as the most suitable candidate for Hong Kong’s top position, especially when the city is in need of a reset following the social unrest of 2019 and the onslaught of successive waves of Covid-19.

I have no doubts about his capability, experience or steadfastness. His long years of service have given him valuable insight into how the government operates. He also has the trust of Beijing, which will allow him to further promote the relationship between Hong Kong and the central government.

To those with concerns about Lee’s narrow business exposure, having largely carved out a career in law and order, I would point out that his background can be considered an advantage for two reasons. First, the violent protests of 2019 and 2020 showed us that peace and stability cannot be taken for granted; Hong Kong needs a strong leader to forestall disorder and restore stability.

Second, his background should remove suspicions of any potential collusion between the government and the business community – in particular, the property sector. Under Lee’s leadership, the government will have no restraints in addressing the need for more public housing, one of the city’s most deep-seated issues.

No one can be a master of everything. A good leader will seek advice from the experienced and wise on matters with which they are unfamiliar. As long as Lee recruits competent people to fill his government, I remain optimistic.