HKSAR gov't to roll out new relief measures to help SMEs

Acting Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Matthew Cheung said on Tuesday that the HKSAR government will roll out a third round of relief measures to improve people's livelihood and help the badly-hit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Flags of the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region fly next to the statue of a Golden Bauhinia flower in Hong Kong on June 7, 2017. [File photo: IC]

The announcement of the relief measures, which will be rolled out soon, comes less than a week after HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam introduced measures to revive the economy and improve people's well-being in her third policy address.

The new round of measures aim to support the industries severely stricken by the ongoing upheaval in Hong Kong including retailing, catering, logistics and tourism, Cheung, who is Chief Secretary for Administration, told a press conference here.

He hoped that the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR can approve the measures as soon as possible to help the SMEs tide over difficulties.

Cheung said the policy address, delivered by Carrie Lam last Wednesday, unveiled more than 220 measures to benefit the people and support enterprises of different sizes, and he voiced the hope that the LegCo will go back on track and the lawmakers resume their work and deliberate on these pro-people programs.

As for the amendments concerning the transfer of fugitive offenders, Cheung stressed that the secretary for security will move the motion to officially withdraw the proposed amendments when the LegCo resumes the second reading debate on the issue.

It can be assured that a complete end will be brought to the incident regarding the amendments, he said.

In response to a question related to the Chan Tong-kai case, Cheung said the stances of Taiwan authorities were inconceivable and puzzling. Chan, a Hong Kong citizen suspected of committing homicide in Taiwan in 2018, recently decided to surrender himself to Taiwan after being released from prison. Chan was sentenced to imprisonment for money laundering offenses.

Chan asked the HKSAR government to provide assistance for him to leave for Taiwan as soon as possible out of his own will, Cheung noted, adding that there was no political maneuver behind, nor Chan was manipulated to surrender himself.

"I think it's common sense that we should try to provide every facilitation on that score ... At the moment I still hope a breakthrough could be found and i.e. the suspect could be returned to Taiwan as soon as possible," Cheung said.

The acting chief executive urged Taiwan authorities not to complicate a simple issue. "Do not try to exploit politics in order to really achieve a certain gain at the expense, particularly of justice," he noted.