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Former Hong Kong CEO Leung Chun-ying, right, and Tung Chee-hwa attend a press conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Two of Hong Kong’s former leaders launched a pro alliance. Beijing on Tuesday to defend “One Country Policy, Two Systems” and revive the city’s economy, after months of protests that have rocked the government ahead of key legislative elections later this year. (AP Photo / Vincent Yu)
HONG KONG – Two of Hong Kong’s former leaders on Tuesday launched a pro-Beijing alliance to defend China’s “one country, two systems” policy and work to revive the city’s economy after months of anti-government protests.
Former CEOs Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying’s move precedes key legislative elections in September. The ruling pro-Beijing government took part in last year’s district elections amid protests calling for greater democracy.
Tung and Leung said the new Hong Kong Coalition will support employment by creating jobs, completing internships and volunteering for recent graduates. They did not provide details of how they would do that.
“We will give ‘One Country, Two Systems’ full play and reclaim our economy, and we will continue to safeguard the rule of law so that we can achieve stability and prosperity in Hong Kong,” said Tung, who ran the city from 1997 to 2005.
Hong Kong was divided by anti-government protests last year against what critics see as a growing Chinese influence in city affairs. The former British colony was returned to China in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” framework in which Hong Kong received freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland and promised a high degree of autonomy over local affairs for 50 years.
During the protests, hundreds of thousands took to the streets and violent clashes broke out between the police and hard-line protesters. Among the protesters’ demands was the direct election of the city leader, currently elected by a committee.
The coalition’s launch comes a day after Hong Kong said its economy contracted 8.9% yoy in the first three months of 2020, the biggest decline on record. The city’s unemployment rate in March reached 4.2%, the highest in more than nine years and an increase for the sixth consecutive month.
The city’s economy has been severely beaten since the protest movement, which affected the tourism, retail and restaurant industries, and has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
“If we look back at the history of Hong Kong, we see that our people are resilient and we always rise from difficulties,” said Leung, who was the city’s chief executive from 2012 to 2017. “I think with an effort together, we will solve each of these social problems. “
The coalition says it has 1,545 members from all walks of society, including COVID-19 responding health workers and youth.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday that the economic downturn was “worse than expected.” But he promised to maintain public spending and investment to safeguard the economy.
Lam said Hong Kong would relax some of its social distancing measures, allowing businesses like gyms, movie theaters and beauty salons to reopen and doubling the number of people in public gatherings to as many as eight. Some students will also resume classes beginning in late May.
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