Hong Kong welcomes first female chief executive

World
Europe

Hong Kong welcomes its first female chief executive since 1997.

Former chief secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, once the number two figure in the special administrative region's government, has acquired 777 votes from the election committee of almost 1,200 members from different sectors of Hong Kong society.

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (M), John Tsang Chun-wah (R) and Woo Kwok-hing (L) /CFP Photo

Lam's campaign focused on people’s livelihood and economic development in the financial hub, along with issues such as affordable housing, investment in education, tax cuts in favor of small businesses, and new-style governing.‍

CGTN Photo

In her view, education is the “most important investment for Hong Kong,” so much so that she pledged during the campaign to add 5 billion HK dollars to increase education spending. “A stable, caring, and inspiring environment for students, parents, teachers and principals” would be what her government is eager to build up.

Lam was pleased to have more public engagement in the local governance and to share the fruits of economic development with members of the public. She called the governance in the city where is seen as the capital market economy, should feature business facilitation and to boost investment for further development.

CGTN Photo

“Without the necessary atmosphere and conditions, any (restart of political reform) would only be disappointing,” Lam said.

In the coming days, the State Council will appoint the 59-year-old woman as Hong Kong’s chief executive and she will officially be sworn in on July 1, when the city celebrates the 20th anniversary of its return to China.

1968km