II.Looking Back on the Past Two Years 4. Before I deal with the key issues, I would like to start with a review of the past two years. A.Two Major Challenges 5. Responding to changing circumstances may well be the biggest challenge to any government. Over the past two years, Hong Kong has experienced two momentous changes. First, Hong Kong's reunification with the Mainland following the end of colonial rule and the practice of a high degree of autonomy under the unprecedented "One Country, Two Systems" concept. Second, the considerable readjustment to our economy triggered by the regional and even global effects of the Asian financial crisis. That these two changes took place almost simultaneously made them all the more difficult to manage. Implementing "One Country, Two Systems" 6. On 1 July 1997, the SAR Government came into being under the principle of "Hong Kong people running Hong Kong". On the same day, we established the Court of Final Appeal in the spirit of true judicial independence. We also formed the Provisional Legislative Council and subsequently held elections for the first Legislative Council of the SAR. The high turnout rate of voters in the election last year attests to Hong Kong people's active participation in public affairs. All these fundamental changes have taken place smoothly. At the same time, there has been no change in our economic and legal systems. People's way of life has remained much the same. Freedoms, including that of speech and of assembly, have been safeguarded. Hong Kong remains a separate customs territory which co-operates directly with the international community in areas such as protecting intellectual property rights and fighting against drugs and smuggling. We also exercise our own stringent control on the import and export of strategic commodities. 7. The trend of mass emigration in the run-up to the handover has now reversed to a flow of returnees. Moreover, last year, even at the height of the regional financial turmoil, there were over 23 000 transactions in new private residential properties and over 33 000 in subsidised flats under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS), Tenants Purchase Scheme, Flat-for-Sale Scheme and Sandwich Class Housing Scheme. In total, people committed over $100 billion to buy their own homes here in Hong Kong. Even in the face of economic volatility, these families have cast their vote of confidence in Hong Kong's future with their assets and actions. 8. Despite the fact that we have no precedent to go by, our experience in implementing the "One Country, Two Systems" concept for the past two years shows it to be a viable system full of vitality. Riding Out the Storm 9. The Asian financial turmoil started in Thailand on the day following our reunification celebrations. The scale and speed of its impact was much greater than expected and unmatched in the past fifty years. Although our financial regulatory regime is widely recognised to be of international standard, we were subjected to severe blows because of the inherent weaknesses in our economic structure, coupled with the fact that Hong Kong is the most open financial centre in Asia. 10. Our financial system came under immense pressure in the summer of 1998. We faced speculative attacks in local stock and foreign exchange markets. Confidence in our financial system was shaken. Under the circumstances, the SAR Government through the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) made the decisive and timely decision to enter the markets and stabilised them. The decision was widely criticised at that time. In retrospect, exceptional though it was, we made the correct move. We have since adopted a series of measures to strengthen the linked exchange rate regime and our financial system's defences. This has consolidated Hong Kong's position as an international financial centre. 11. In fact, before the financial turmoil took its toll, structural problems already existed in Hong Kong's economy. Years of high inflation and negative real interest rates fuelled the "bubble economy". Asset prices hit historic highs in 1997, driving up costs and seriously undermining our competitiveness. This is the reason why I said at the Ceremony to Celebrate the Establishment of the Hong Kong SAR that we had to be alert to the dangers that lay ahead, even as we enjoyed calm and prosperity. The sudden arrival of the financial turmoil only speeded up the necessary readjustment of our economy. B.Relieving Hardship and Accelerating Recovery Relief Measures 12. Owing to the readjustment, Hong Kong's economy has suffered a downturn. The unemployment rate has reached its highest level in more than two decades. I am deeply concerned about the hardship suffered by those affected. The SAR Government has adopted a series of measures to stimulate economic growth and ease the burden on the community. We have given rebates on salaries, profits and property taxes, as well as on rates. We have also frozen various fees and charges. In all, these reductions total over $40 billion. 13. We also took decisive action at the right time to suspend land sales for a period in a move to stabilise the property market. To spur demand in our economy and create jobs, we have pressed ahead with a number of major infrastructural projects. The total investment within five years will be $240 billion. This will stimulate economic growth and lay the foundation for our long-term development. Economic Recovery 14. Our economy is showing signs of turning the corner as the various relief measures steadily produce results and the Asian financial turmoil slowly subsides. Recently, there has been a gradual revival of consumer sentiment. Our export trade has picked up. The number of inbound tourists has been on the rise. Stock and property markets have stabilised. The Mainland's economy has been growing steadily and will continue to provide numerous business opportunities. The Asian economies have improved, with Japan recording a positive growth for two consecutive quarters. The performance of European economies, in particular Germany, is also gradually improving. 15. However, in Hong Kong, real interest rates have remained on the high side. Bank credit, which has experienced negative growth over the past two years, still shows no sign of a significant rise. Economic growth in the United States remains strong, but there is concern that US interest rates are now subject to upward pressure. Moreover, some western investors still lack confidence in many of the economic reforms introduced in Asia. Nevertheless, broadly speaking, I am confident that the most trying times are behind us and that our economy will continue to pick up. 16. Our implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" concept for the past two years has laid a sound foundation for the Hong Kong SAR's future development. We have kept our economic framework intact and consolidated Hong Kong's position as a financial centre in the face of the Asian financial turmoil. Overcoming the challenges faced in the past two years has not been easy. It has only been possible because of the perseverance, initiative and pragmatism shown by Hong Kong people and the ample trust and full support shown by our country. C.Medium to Long Range Initiatives 17. You may recall that in my first Policy Address, I put forward the SAR Government's thinking on Hong Kong's future development. I also laid down a number of targets. For the past two years, Government bureaux and departments have been actively pushing ahead with initiatives. I would like to focus on several major areas. Investing in Education 18. Education is fundamental to the future of Hong Kong. Starting from my first public speech when I took office, I have stressed repeatedly that education is a key policy area. We have made progress in many areas over the past two years. I will give a full account of our strategy for education later. Caring for the Elderly 19. Care for the elderly was announced as one of my top priorities when I took office. We have a duty to give the elderly a sense of security, of belonging and of worthiness. Since its establishment, the Elderly Commission has dealt with many major issues. In response to its recommendations, the Government has pledged to provide 30 000 public rental flats for the elderly by the end of 2002. So far we have provided around 10 000 flats, a rate of progress in line with our target. Over the past 18 months, there has been an increase of 3 500 subsidised residential care places for the elderly, which has helped to reduce waiting time considerably. The service quality of private homes for the elderly has been improved over the past two years through the licensing system. In addition, multi-service centres and the home help service have been improved. Many elderly persons have attended literacy classes, computer classes and other interest group activities. Moreover, 6 000 elderly people have joined voluntary services. The Commission is now conducting a study on the quality of life of the elderly, so as to assess the demand for various services from the perspective of the elderly. To commemorate this being the International Year of Older Persons, hundreds of activities to promote respect and care for the elderly are being organised with Government support. At the end of next year, we will implement the Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme, a key initiative to provide retirement protection for the elderly in Hong Kong. Meeting Housing Needs 20. I pledged right from the beginning of my tenure that I would do my best to address the housing problem of low income families. Despite the adverse economic conditions over the past two years, we have provided low-cost public rental housing to 73 000 families. The waiting time for public rental flats has been reduced from seven to six years on average. I am confident that we should be able to achieve our pledge of further reducing this to three years by the end of the 2005-2006 financial year. Enabling more families to own their own homes is another pledge. Over the past two years, we have helped over 100 000 families fulfil their wish of purchasing their own flats through various home ownership schemes. This is a significant figure. 21. In the past two years, the SAR Government has established a land bank which now plays an important role in stabilising our property market. We have developed a highly transparent land disposal mechanism. This enables us to respond flexibly to short-term fluctuations in market demand, and to prevent sharp rises and falls in property prices from affecting people's livelihood. I am aware of the heavy financial burden on those citizens whose properties have become negative assets because of the financial turmoil. The Government clearly understands that the real estate sector remains a pillar of the economy. For most people in Hong Kong, a home is more than a place to live. It represents the most important investment in their lives. [more ...]