Mr. John Lee, the Chief Executive, Delivers New Year Message

2026-01-01 11:51 Last Updated At：01-02 13:45

Following is the video of the New Year message delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee.

In the New Year message, Mr John Lee stated that 2025 was a challenging year, revealing citizens' determination to tide over difficulties together. The Hong Kong people have not only experienced the strong impetus of economic recovery, but also suffered from the sorrowful grief brought by the tragic Tai Po fire. He said that the SAR government would unite in spirit and action with the citizens, integrating "reform and impetus" into "economic development" and "improvement of people's livelihood", to progressively achieve hard-won fruits.

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Photo source: FB of Mr John Lee

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Photo source: FB of Mr John Lee

Mr John Lee traced back to the positive results achieved by Hong Kong in different aspects in 2025. In terms of economy, the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Hetao Co-operation Zone) was successfully opened, unveiling the stage for Hong Kong to develop into an "international innovation and technology centre". The local stock market has boomed throughout the year, while the local tourism industry continued to recover, with the successive opening of Kai Tak Sports Park and the East Kowloon Cultural Centre. Besides, the implementation of the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles Scheme has also brought high-end consumers and tourists to Hong Kong.

In the field of people's livelihood, approximately 9,500 light public housing units have been completed as scheduled throughout the year. The composite waiting time for subsidised rental housing was shortened by one year compared to the highest level before the current-term Government took office, reaching the lowest level of 5.1 years. Five new "Community Living Rooms" (CLR) have been constructed, bringing the total number of CLRs to nine, all of which have provided warmth and a sense of integration into the community to low-income families. The first Chinese medicine hospital in Hong Kong has been put into service. The regulations governing ride-hailing services have been passed, providing citizens with new options for travel.

Tracing back to the past year, Mr John Lee mentioned that there were many unforgettable scenes. For the first time, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao jointly hosted the 15th National Games, in which the athletes from Hong Kong created a historic achievement of 19 medals. The Legislative Council General Election has been successfully held, electing new members of the Legislative Council to work together with the government to promote social reforms, assist the affected families in the Tai Po fire to return to normal life pace, and improve the building safety system and related supervision.

Looking forward to 2026, Mr John Lee emphasized that, in addition to continuing to support the victims of the Tai Po fire and offering long-term housing suggestions to them, the government will focus on two major goals in the coming year. The first is to enhance people's well-being. The government will accelerate the construction of public housing, implement the registration system of Basic Housing Units, and orderly eliminate inferior subdivided units in residential buildings. Moreover, medical and educational resources will be optimized, expanding the coverage of the Elderly Health Care Voucher and providing more employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to young people.

The second is strengthening innovation-driven development. The government will proactively align with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis, deepen the "one zone, two parks" interaction in Hetao Co-operation Zone, speed up the development and application in core fields such as science and technology as well as low-altitude economy, etc., empower the development of various industries with AI, and hold high-quality international conferences such as APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting, etc. to enhance Hong Kong's international influence.

Mr John Lee stated that the resilience and vitality of Hong Kong have been witnessed over the past year. In the coming year, the government will continue to work hard and implement policies to enable every citizen to share the fruits of social development. Although there will be challenges ahead, there will also be more opportunities for us to grasp. As long as Hong Kong people unite as one, we will surely overcome challenges and make our city more prosperous and brilliant.

For more details, please refer to the FB post of Mr John Lee: https://www.facebook.com/reel/2044954473018470/?s=single_unit

THEi Designs Ties and Scarves for CE and His Team, Telling Hong Kong's Story Through Attire

The Chief Executive, Mr. John Lee, wore a tie and badge designed by teachers and students of the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) when he delivered "Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan" and the 2026 Policy Address on September 16. It was the second time that THEi has designed the ties and scarves for the Chief Executive and his team. Professor Alan Lau, President of THEi, said the collaboration carries practical industry value, leading students beyond traditional academic frameworks to transform creativity into official accessories and honing their practical skills under rigorous standards.

The THEi design team said the tie's design centres on the Northern Metropolis as its core concept, meaning bringing together global talent from diverse fields. The diamond pattern on the tie highlights the theme of "convergence," while the yarn-woven texture represents the rapid development of innovation and technology in the Northern Metropolis. The star design symbolises Hong Kong shining brightly on the international stage. The tie is made of high-density silk-woven cotton, with dense stitching that refracts different lustres, fully demonstrating the unique three-dimensional quality of silk fabric.

The scarf features emerald green and light green as its main colours, paired with purple and pink. The twisted design represents the talent and technology brought by the Northern Metropolis, merging like a knot. The team said green represents vitality, energy, and life; purple and pink reference current popular tones, and the team also noted that officials typically wear light purple or light pink scarves, making the pairing based on this observation. The scarf uses double-sided printing on silk fabric, with quality reflected in fine digital printing techniques, premium material selection, and delicate hand-rolled edges.

The badge design is in the same vein as the tie's theme, featuring a diamond design with metallic lines outlining a star inside, using the blue color of the cover page of "Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan", with a gradient design creating a three-dimensional effect. Ms. Rainbow Lee, a graduate of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Fashion Design programme at THEi, said she felt the design "matched very well" when she saw the Chief Executive wearing the tie on television to deliver the address. "When I watched on TV, I saw the background was blue, and the table in front was green, and (with the design) it achieved a mutually enhancing, consistent effect." She added that the design challenge lay in expressing abstract concepts through concrete patterns. "You have to find specific shapes, such as using diamonds and lines to represent innovation and technology, talent and so on," she said, adding that colour proportions and texture presentation also required repeated consideration to ensure the overall visual effect was complementary.

This was Rainbow's second time participating in the project to design the ties and scarves for the Chief Executive and his team. She said the rewards of participating in an official project far exceeded those of ordinary school assignments. Facing strict production procedures, the material application and craft skills she learned at school became key to solving problems. Being able to participate for two consecutive years, this valuable practical experience not only clarified her career direction, but also greatly enhanced her confidence in pursuing a career in fashion. She also encouraged the THEi students to bravely seize practical opportunities and meet industry challenges.

Ms. Janet Chan, a student in the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Fashion Design programme, participated for the first time and felt both honoured and nervous, as she had never been involved in such a major project. Carrying a sense of mission, she produced a perfect design with the team's help. Janet noted that tie-making is a complex craft, and designs that are too complex cannot be woven, so the design had to be adjusted in light of reality; scarves also had to take ergonomics into account, with layering effects, so whether the desired elements could be displayed also had to be considered.

Janet also mentioned that she usually works more with evening gowns and wedding attire and rarely with uniform design. This project sparked her interest in pursuing uniform or cultural and creative design in the future, greatly boosting her creative confidence. She hoped to continue using professional design to tell "Hong Kong stories" to the public.

Ms. Jenny Cheung, Assistant Professor of the Department of Design and Architecture at THEi, was the project supervisor. She said the most important thing in leading a team is to have a holistic view, understand each student's strengths, and assign them to different aspects of the design. Through continuous discussion and improvement, the best result was ultimately presented. She was quite satisfied with the design outcome, especially the badge design. "It is Hong Kong's first five-year plan and is representative. The small badge displays a three-dimensional quality, and with the colour and shape pairing, it leaves a deep impression."

She added that this creation was a highly groundbreaking teaching and learning experience. "From early-stage concept exchange and repeated revisions of drawings to the final product landing, we strictly controlled industrial standards and creative aesthetics, successfully opening a channel between the classroom and top-tier industry projects, forging design professionals with high-level practical capabilities for the industry."

Professor Alan Lau, President of THEi, said the collaboration carries practical industry value, leading students beyond traditional academic frameworks to transform creativity into official accessories and hone practical skills under rigorous standards. THEi will continue to utilize the valuable experience of these flagship projects to guide a new generation of young professionals to integrate their personal professional aesthetics into the HKSAR Government's overall development.

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Mr. John Lee, the Chief Executive, Delivers New Year Message

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