‘New measures’ on way to help Hong Kong’s ethnic minority residents, No 2 official says

Chief secretary adds government to hold training courses for civil servants to better understand and respect community of some 300,000

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Ethnic minority residents urging Hong Kong officials to improve services to their community. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 8:39pm, 6 Oct 2018Updated: 11:01pm, 6 Oct 2018

Hong Kong’s ethnic minority residents will receive “many new measures” when Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor delivers her policy address next Wednesday, the government’s No 2 official has revealed.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung did not elaborate on what schemes would be announced, but told a gathering of social activists on Saturday the government would hold training courses for civil servants to better understand and respect minority residents.

Hong Kong Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung is the city’s No 2 official. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Excluding domestic workers, there are about 300,000 members of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, making up about 4 per cent of the city’s population. They have grappled with several basic challenges, including discrimination, poverty and mastering Chinese so they can get a decent job.

Cheung met 40 representatives from seven concern groups at government headquarters. They handed him a list of measures they wanted to see in place.

The chief secretary chairs the Ethnic Minority Steering Committee operating a budget of HK$500 million (US$63.8 million) to boost support for the local ethnic minority community.