A coalition co-sponsored by 1,545 representatives of various sectors of the Hong Kong society was launched in Hong Kong on Tuesday, with an aim of uniting the community and finding a way out of the current predicament for Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Coalition, with two former Chief Executives of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying as its chief conveners, announced its launch at a press conference on Tuesday morning.
Tung said at the press conference that Hong Kong is at a very critical moment, having suffered from a double blow from the disturbance sparked by the now-withdrawn ordinance amendments concerning fugitive transfers and from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Many people of insight recognize the need for Hong Kong to start afresh," he said, adding that people in Hong Kong need to come together to ride out of the current predicament.
The coalition's goal is to mobilize the strength and wisdom of all the people in Hong Kong to unleash the potential of "one country, two systems", reinvigorate Hong Kong's economy, re-embrace the rule of law and build a stable and prosperous Hong Kong together, he said.
Leung stressed at the press conference that "to get Hong Kong start again" is not a slogan of the coalition, but a goal that must be achieved by joint efforts.
To restore its stability and prosperity, Hong Kong must make good use of the dual advantage it enjoys under "one country, two systems" and seek the greatest unity of people from all sectors and age groups, he said.
With the 1,545 co-sponsors from various sectors and age groups, the non-governmental organization's tasks include helping revitalize the economy, seeking employment, internship and training opportunities for young people, assisting the HKSAR government with the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, and publicizing in and out of Hong Kong about the region's efforts to start afresh, he said.
The coalition issued a joint declaration calling for upholding "one country, two systems", reviving the economy, returning to the rule of law and restoring unity.
Despite its sound foundation, Hong Kong cannot afford endless internal strife, the declaration stressed, adding that all sectors must rally to fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, oppose violent activities, improve people's livelihood, safeguard employment and save the struggling economy.
The coalition plans to host a series of activities, the first of which will be distributing 10 million face masks to residents across Hong Kong in the coming weekend.
