Tung Chee-hwa (second left) and Leung Chun-ying (third left), vice-chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and former chief executives of Hong Kong, inaugurate the Hong Kong Coalition. Tung and Leung, co-conveners of the initiative, are joined at the dais by the coalition's secretary-general Tam Yiu-chung (left) and deputy secretary-general Maria Tam Wai-chu (right) in Hong Kong on May 5, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)
HONG KONG - Two former Hong Kong chief executives Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying on Tuesday announced the formation of a new organization to help rebuild prosperity for the city reeling from protracted social unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hong Kong Coalition was established with its key objectives to assist the government in finding solutions to many troubles the city is facing
The Hong Kong Coalition was established with its key objectives to assist the government in finding solutions to many troubles the city is facing.
Tung and Leung, vice-chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, are co-conveners of the coalition. They are joined by more than 1,540 others as co-founders of the new initiative.
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The members come from many sectors, from different backgrounds, including young people.
Joining Tung and Leung at the ceremony were the coalition’s secretary-general Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the coalition’s 11 deputy secretaries-general, including Tam Wai-chu. Tam is a member of the Basic Law Committee under the National People's Congress Standing Committee.
Hong Kong Coalition's secretary-general Tam Yiu-chung (left) calls on a reporter for questions during a press conference on the launch of the initiative in Hong Kong, May 5, 2020. Tam is joined at the dais by the co-conveners of the initiative, Tung Chee-hwa (center) and Leung Chun-ying (right), and the coalition's deputy secretary-general Maria Tam Wai-chu (not seen). (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)
In its joint declaration, the coalition vowed to uphold the “one country, two systems” principle, revive Hong Kong economy and safeguard the rule of law. It stressed that the prerequisites of Hong Kong’s recovery are to preserve the rule of law and restore peace and stability.
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Among the coalition’s members are business leaders and prominent professionals, including property magnate Li Ka-shing, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Charles Li Xiaojia, and legal expert Albert Chen Hung-yee.
The organization will organize its first major event in the coming weekend to distribute 10 million masks to the public to ward off the threat of coronavirus.
Leung Chun-ying (3rd right), co-convener of Hong Kong Coalition, speaks during a press conference on the launch of the initiative, as another convener Tung Chee-hwa (2nd left), its secretary-general Tam Yiu-chung (left) and deputy secretary-general Maria Tam Wai-chu looks on. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)
At the press conference, Tung said the coalition will throw its full support behind the special administrative region government and assist it with the full, accurate and sustained implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle. The principle is Hong Kong’s biggest advantage, he added.
He also said the central government has never changed its stand on upholding the principle.
Tung said Hong Kong is facing three crises — the coronavirus pandemic, an economic recession, and a political predicament that opposition lawmakers, rioters and foreign forces took advantages of to tear apart the city with violence and hostility.
Hong Kong Coalition's co-conveners Tung Chee-hwa (front, center) and Leung Chun-ying (front, right), its secretary-general Tam Yiu-chung (front, left), along with some of the initiative's co-founders, pose with packages of face masks during a press conference on the launch of the initiative in Hong Kong, May 5, 2020. The coalition planned to distribute 10 million face masks to members of the public across Hong Kong on May 9 and May 10. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINADAILY)
Unity tops the city’s agenda as it seeks to recover from the crises, Tung said, urging Hong Kong people, regardless of their social backgrounds, to join forces to lift the city out of its difficult situation in a rational, pragmatic and harmonious manner.
Also speaking at the inauguration was Leung, another convener, who said each of the 1,500-plus members will find ways to use their resources and contacts to restore Hong Kong’s economy and improve people’s livelihood at this difficult time.
Leung said a major objective of the coalition is helping young people find jobs in these difficult economic times.
The coalition will also use its resources to assist the government in its fight against the pandemic, Leung said. The first step is to distribute 10 million face masks to adults and children on Saturday, he said.
