John Lee responds to the Policy Address: AI regulation and encouraging childbirth given equal weight; business sector jointly promotes 30,000 youth internships and jobs.

On September 17, John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, attended a joint radio broadcast program to respond to listeners' questions on multiple measures in the new Policy Address, covering topics including artificial intelligence development and regulation, policies to encourage childbirth, and youth employment support. On the topic of artificial intelligence, the Policy Address proposed establishing a dedicated task force on "children's use of social media" under the working group led by the Department of Justice. John Lee Ka-chiu said that foreign countries have seen different situations when minor students use AI, with some using it excessively, becoming disconnected from society, and not communicating with their families. Therefore, Hong Kong will refer to foreign practices, listen to opinions, and study which measures are suitable for Hong Kong. He stressed that at this stage the government is focusing on education, and the Education Bureau will provide guidelines and introduce courses to teach students to use AI correctly and improve their literacy. At the same time, John Lee Ka-chiu also said that the government is concerned about people using AI for fraud, bullying, and intrusive acts, especially the use of deepfake technology to commit offenses. The Department of Justice is highly concerned, and the Law Reform Commission will conduct research on legislation. Regarding international concerns that AI may destroy humanity, he said risks will always exist, and risk management must be done well during development. On encouraging childbirth, the new Policy Address proposed 11 "combination punch" measures to encourage childbirth. John Lee Ka-chiu said that childbirth is a personal and important decision, and the government's measures are to clearly tell citizens that if they want to have children but have concerns, the government will do its best to help. He said reversing the fertility rate is not easy and is a common problem worldwide, with measures by governments in various places also similar in category, requiring adaptation to local conditions and overcoming structural factors. Citing questionnaire and think tank research, he said factors such as society's overall education and work culture and the pursuit of a free lifestyle all have an impact. On the other hand, a listener called to ask why the HK$2,500 student allowance had not been restored, and another listener said an unstable work environment makes young employees afraid to consider having children. In response, John Lee Ka-chiu said that the government uses public funds, and necessary items will be provided, but targeted assistance to specific individuals requires study, because "indiscriminate" use of public funds may not be the best approach. He said that if someone is unreasonably dismissed by a company, they can complain to the Labour Department, and he understands that some industries are developing more slowly, and the government has measures to assist small and medium-sized enterprises. On youth employment support, John Lee Ka-chiu said the Policy Address has two major goals: developing the economy and improving people's livelihood, hoping that overall all citizens will have a better life. He expects Hong Kong's economy to improve in the future, but each person's actual situation is different, and industries are also different, and the government will do its best to take care of them. He said the government attaches importance to education, social welfare, and medical care, which account for the largest expenditure, but it may not be able to take care of every single person 100 percent. He hopes citizens understand that resources are limited, and that Hong Kong is facing a fiscal deficit and also needs to develop the Northern Metropolis, and may still need to issue bonds in the future. He mentioned that the Policy Address, together with the business sector, launched a two-year "30,000 Youth Positions and Internship Scheme," hoping to provide young people with more internship experience and make up for weaknesses. He said some people may ask why not just hand out money, but "if you write a cheque, you still have to pay the bill," and he believes the current policy is already appropriate. In addition, a listener expressed concern about middle-aged employment, saying that some companies do not hire people because of their age; another listener believed that importing foreign labor affects local workers' employment. In response, John Lee Ka-chiu said that to help citizens find employment, the first priority is to help companies continue operating and surviving, including through assistance such as the BUD Fund. He said the importation of foreign workers mainly targets three industries, and the authorities will strictly vet applications; if certain types of work are not needed, applications will not be approved.