The Chief Executive, Mr. John Lee, Conducted a Year-End Caring Visit at the Prosperous Garden in Yau Ma Tei, Visiting Residents and Interacting with the Elderly

The Chief Executive, Mr. John Lee, visited two elderly households in the Prosperous Garden, Yau Ma Tei, for the year-end caring visit this morning.

Photo by Bastille Post

The 91-year-old Uncle Kwan shared his enjoyment of singing Cantonese opera with Mr. John Lee, pointing at a Cantonese opera poster with his portrait on the wall. He said that, encouraged by staff at the district center, he attempted to perform Cantonese opera. As his interest grew stronger, he would occasionally sing at the community hall. Mr. John Lee commented that Uncle Kwan was energetic, healthy, and had a booming voice. Uncle Kwan mentioned that he would also act as a volunteer every now and then, saying, "When others are in trouble, we should try our best to help." Mr. John Lee praised him for embodying the spirit of mutual support and encouraged him to participate in more community activities. Uncle Kwan wished Lee "to lead Hong Kong to new heights."

Mr. John Lee visited Uncle Kwan

Another household Mr. John Lee visited was that of 82-year-old Ms. Choi and her 87-year-old husband, Mr. Kwan, both athletes. Ms. Choi was a former diver, and Mr. Kwan was a former footballer. The couple chatted about their past athletic achievements and shared their life in the Prosperous Garden with Mr. John Lee. Ms. Choi said her retirement life was very pleasant: she would enjoy morning tea with her friends and frequently participated in the community's vibrant activities. She noted that many age-friendly facilities have been set up around and felt both the community and Hong Kong society were very welcoming to the elderly, describing retirement in Hong Kong as far superior to other countries and regions. Mr. Kwan reminded Mr. John Lee to take care of his health amidst his busy schedule and continue leading Hong Kong forward. Mr. John Lee expressed his satisfaction with their happy life and wished them good health and a prosperous Year of the Horse.

Mr. John Lee visited Ms. Choi and Mr. Kwan

Mr. John Lee then visited the Elderly Service Centre, playing games and chatting with the elderly residents. He stated that the elderly have created more value for Hong Kong, and he himself is also a beneficiary, making him hope to visit everyone at the end of the Year of the Snake. Witnessing the continuous progress in community facilities and the energetic spirits of the elderly, he pointed out that community services ought to keep improving and enable every resident to live in a harmonious community.

Mr. John Lee visited the Elderly Service Centre, playing games and chatting with the elderly residents.

Mr. John Lee visited the Elderly Service Centre, playing games and chatting with the elderly residents.

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.

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.

Photo source: FB of Mr John Lee

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.

Photo source: FB of Mr John Lee

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.

Photo source: FB of Mr John Lee

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.

Photo source: FB of Mr John Lee

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