John Lee Praises CPC's Fifth Plenary Session for Strengthening Party Self-Governance and National Rejuvenation Strategies.

CE warmly congratulates victorious conclusion of Fifth Plenary Session of 20th CPC Central Committee

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (October 29) expressed his warm congratulations for the successful conclusion of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing. The session deliberated and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPC on Certain Major Issues concerning Persevering with Full and Rigorous Party Self-Governance.

In the opening year of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, the CPC Central Committee, from the strategic perspective of consolidating its long-term governing position and realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, made major strategic plans for persevering with full and rigorous self-governance of the party. The strategic plans fully demonstrate the historic initiative of the Central Committee with President Xi Jinping at its core in building a great party and a great country, underlining the firm determination and clear stance of taking forward the CPC's great self-reform. It is of great significance and far-reaching impact.

The communique of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee stated that the session emphasised the need to persevere in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the CPC. The party must continuously strive to purify, improve, renew and excel itself, and constantly strengthen its capacity in providing political leadership, giving theoretical guidance, organising the people and inspiring society. The session stressed the importance of adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability; fully and faithfully applying the new development philosophy on all fronts; moving faster to foster a new pattern of development; making full and proper use of macro policies; tapping deeper into the potential of domestic demand; further deepening reform and opening-up; pursuing sustained and high-quality economic growth driven by innovation; ensuring the fulfilment of the major targets for this year's economic and social development; securing a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan; co-ordinating development and security; and striving unwaveringly to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation.

Mr Lee said that he was encouraged and inspired by the session. He said that exercising full and rigorous self-governance bears on the CPC's leadership capability and the country's governance capacity, and is of important guiding significance to the governance of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Since assuming office, the Chief Executive has been building a government team with a result-oriented approach and has all along emphasised that reform is an ongoing endeavour and never-ending. The HKSAR Government must closely integrate the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee with Hong Kong's actual circumstances, continue to improve and reform itself, continuously enhance governance efficiency, strengthen the development of the governance team, and improve institutional mechanisms to better respond to public concerns. The HKSAR Government will take forward such measures as incorporating the requirement of full rigour throughout the entire process of the HKSAR's governance, and better co-ordinating development and security.

The HKSAR Government is fully committed to implementing Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and transforming the strategic plans into tangible outcomes for the city's high-quality development. The HKSAR Government will continue to fully and faithfully implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and, with the strong support of the Central Authorities, unite all sectors of the community to earnestly study and implement well the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, leverage the strength and value of "patriots administering Hong Kong", and fulfil Hong Kong's responsibilities, seize Hong Kong's opportunities and make Hong Kong's contributions in the country's continuous progress of building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernisation.

Statement by ExCo Non-official Members

The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:

Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo Non-official Members) today (October 29) issued the following statement on the Government's follow-up work in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court:

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today released the report of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The Chief Executive and Principal Officials also held a press conference to give an account of relevant matters to the public. ExCo Non-official Members expressed full support for the Government in facing up to the problems, shouldering responsibility, and pursuing comprehensive reforms.

The Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members, Mrs Regina Ip, said, "The Chief Executive and Principal Officials have clearly explained to the public the Government's follow-up work, and, on behalf of the HKSAR Government, apologised to the residents of Wang Fuk Court and the community, demonstrating sincerity and political commitment. The Chief Executive also called on his team to continue to give their utmost in their respective positions in pressing ahead with various reforms and the extensive work ahead, while drawing lessons from the incident and better exercising leadership to step up the implementation of the result-oriented governing approach. I support this position."

"The Government's plans to implement comprehensive reform on the basis of the Independent Committee's report are comprehensive and pragmatic, addressing the crux of the issues. I concur with the seven major directions of systemic reform put forward by the Government. These include combatting bid-rigging in building maintenance and renovation projects, establishing a cross-departmental task force to combat crimes related to bid-rigging in such projects, establishing a Building Maintenance Support and Services Council, reforming the operation and regulatory system for building maintenance and renovation, reforming the structure of the Buildings Department, establishing a centralised data system and reforming the complaint mechanism, and establishing a steering committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration to follow up on the Independent Committee's recommendations."

As regards accountability, the Government has demonstrated its determination to pursue responsibility comprehensively and enforce accountability at various levels. On criminal liability, law enforcement authorities have successively instituted prosecutions against the companies and individuals involved in the incident. The Government has also initiated the Administrative Responsibility Two-tier Investigation Mechanism under the Heads of Department Accountability System, and is strictly following up on the administrative responsibility of the civil servants concerned. As for political accountability, the Chief Executive, having considered a wide range of factors, decided that the Secretary for Housing should take political accountability, and has accepted the Secretary's resignation.

The fire at Wang Fuk Court has exposed a number of long-standing inadequacies at different systemic levels, and the issues involved are complex and intertwined. Properly addressing these issues requires firm resolve as well as precise and decisive decision-making. ExCo Non-official Members will give their full support to the Government in taking forward comprehensive reforms and will continue to fully support its governance. ExCo Non-official Members firmly believe that, as long as society works together with dedication to turn grief into the strength to move forward, learns from the experience, and thoroughly implements systemic reforms, similar incidents can certainly be prevented, making Hong Kong a safer and better home.