Politics mars policy progress under HK chief executive

Hong Kong

HONG Kong's outgoing Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying touted the city's economic development as one of his main successes in his last annual policy address on Wednesday, but he will likely be most remembered for the escalation in political divisiveness during his tenure and failure in political reform, say analysts.

In what was his fifth and longest policy address since he took office in 2012, Mr Leung, who made a surprise announcement in December that he would not be pursuing a second term, emphasised his administration's role in mid and long-term economic development plans.

These include the National 13th Five-Year Plan and the Belt and Road Initiative, which aim to provide new opportun…