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Hong Kong leader John Lee promises to consider public suggestions on ways to boost birth rate
- Lee tells consultation session on his second policy address that tourism and talent acquisition will be policy priorities
- Meeting hears suggestions for cash help for IVF treatment and more tax breaks to encourage larger families
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Hong Kong’s leader has promised to look at ways to boost the birth rate after the problem was raised at his first consultation session to gather suggestions from the public for his coming policy address.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, flanked by his 21 principal officials at the Sunday event, told participants the policy blueprint would also focus on tourism and talent acquisition.
Renee So Yi-ha, the mother of a four-year-old girl, said she had in vitro fertilisation (IVF) when she was 35 and that giving birth after that age was “very difficult”.
“Should women be encouraged [by the administration] to freeze their eggs after university graduation?” the 39-year-old asked.
So said financial help should be available for women who opted to store eggs for future use, which could cost up to HK$200,000 (US$25,540) for the entire process.
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