HONG KONG — Hong Kong Chief Executive (CE) John Lee Ka-chiu took to social media over the weekend to draw parallels between governance and agriculture, publishing two posts on his official Facebook page titled “Cultivating Deeply, Riding the Momentum.”
In the posting on Saturday ahead of his fourth anniversary as CE, Lee used the metaphor of farming — tilling, sowing, nurturing, and harvesting — to describe his administration’s approach to governing the city.
“Farming is generally divided into four stages: tilling, sowing, nurturing, and harvesting, just like governance, which requires deep and meticulous effort,” Lee wrote.
According to Lee, “tilling” refers to identifying problems and finding solutions by removing obstacles, overcoming difficulties and challenges, and perfecting the system. “Sowing” means setting directions and rolling out different policies and blueprints. “Nurturing” involves using policies and social resources to help citizens in need. “Harvesting” represents seeing results from governance.
The chief executive noted that deep and meticulous work is not something that can be accomplished in a short period, and requires adapting to changes based on various factors. He cited a visit to a fully controlled hydroponic research center that uses technology and artificial intelligence for farming as an example of transformation.
“What changes is the form, but what remains unchanged is the spirit of ‘deep cultivation,'” Lee said.
Lee stated that over the past four years, he has led the current government to continuously push for reforms and change the governance culture into a “result-oriented” government.
“While consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s traditional advantages, we must also reform and innovate, open up new tracks with an ‘industry-oriented’ approach, and improve the well-being of citizens,” he wrote.
In his second post on Sunday, Lee discussed the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Zone, calling it a world-class technological innovation hub connecting Hong Kong with the mainland and the international community, adding that the Northern Metropolis is a new engine for Hong Kong’s economic development.
The videos in the article are shared on Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s Facebook account.