Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor meets the press at Central Government Offices on Oct 12, 2020. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced on Monday that this year’s Policy Address, originally scheduled for Wednesday, will be postponed until the end of November.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she needed to visit Beijing in late October and coordinate with central authorities over a development plan for Hong Kong, as the city faced economic uncertainties

At a press briefing, Lam said she needed to visit Beijing in late October and coordinate with central authorities over a development plan for Hong Kong, as the city faced economic uncertainties.

Lam said she had earlier forwarded a number of proposals concerning the city's development for the central government’s consideration. She said she was just informed that the scope of the proposals was so wide that the chief executive needed to be present in Beijing to hold discussions with multiple ministries.

"There is absolutely no arbitrary delay," Lam said. "They have responded very positively lately with the suggestion that since the proposals from the Chief Executive encompass a range of subjects and some of them need further discussion, the best way forward is for the Chief Executive to go to Beijing and personally explain why these measures are important for Hong Kong so that they could feature in the Policy Address."

Lam said if this year's policy address can include supportive policies of the central government, it will be more helpful to restore the confidence of Hong Kong residents in the economy and give new impetus to Hong Kong's business activities, which is why she decided to postpone the address.

"It's mainly in the public interest of Hong Kong," she said.

Lam also said the government will put forward its livelihood measures as soon as they are ready, adding that she would not withhold them for the Policy Address.

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“I truly believe when the government is ready in terms of policy execution and resources, then we should disclose those livelihood (measures) to the community as early as possible, so that the people could actually benefit earlier (rather) than waiting for the Chief Executive’s occasion of delivering a Policy Address.”

Lam said she had notified President of the Legislative Council Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen of her decision to delay the Policy Address on Monday morning with the assurance that the move would not affect the legislature’s functions.

Meanwhile, Lam said she would depart for Shenzhen with a group of high-ranking officials later on Monday afternoon to attend an event on Wednesday marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, where Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to deliver a keynote speech.

"On this occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, I, on behalf of the HKSAR, extend my sincere congratulations to the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the people of the whole city and look forward to raising collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to the next level," Lam was quoted as saying in a government statement issued on Monday afternoon.

Lam will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on October 14. During her absence, Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung will be the Acting Chief Executive, according to the statement.

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It added that the HKSAR delegation included Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po; Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, SC; Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu; Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit Wing-hang; and Director of the Chief Executive's Office Chan Kwok-ki.

With inputs from Xinhua