Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki (left) leads senior officials attending a news conference at the Government Complex in Admiralty on Oct 26, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong is set to open its first community living room at Fuk Wa Street in Sham Shui Po, which is full of subdivided flats, to offer tenants relief from their cramped living situations by providing additional space to do laundry, cook, take showers, and socialize. 

At a news briefing on Thursday, a day after the city unveiled its 2023 Policy Address, Chris Sun Yuk-han, secretary for Labour and Welfare, said that the facilities and services in the community living room are aimed at improving living conditions for subdivided households, including a self-service laundry and shared kitchen. The space will stay open until 10 pm, allowing residents to have dinner and shower in the community living room before going back to their cramped flats.

Financial incentives to encourage childbirth, another highlight of the policy blueprint unveiled on Wednesday, were discussed at Thursday’s briefing 

Sun revealed that the community living room will be membership-based, allowing only residents living in the subdivided flats.

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Eric Chan Kwok-ki, chief secretary for Administration, added that the poor living environment makes it difficult for residents of subdivided flats to socialize, and said he believes that the quality of their lives can be improved through more social interaction. 

The community living room, which is around 7,000 to 8,000 square feet, will be provided by the business sector, and decorated rent-free for three years. The space will be operated by an NGO, and is sponsored by the special administrative region government’s Community Care Fund. 

Financial incentives to encourage childbirth, another highlight of the policy blueprint unveiled on Wednesday, were discussed at Thursday’s briefing.  

Chan said the one-off HK$20,000 ($2,557) cash bonus for each newborn is a “red pocket” from the government, and a bid to make clear the policy direction encouraging fertility. The bonus was part of the SAR government’s package of birthrate boosters, which also give priority to buying and allocating subsidized housing and further tax deductions, he added. 

Chan admitted that it will be hard to change people’s minds, but he emphasized that the policies can be a motivation and help to alleviate some difficulties for families who want to have children. 

Lo Chung-mau, secretary for Health, said he encourages residents to seize the prime time for bearing children, as giving birth earlier in life can greatly increase the chance of a successful pregnancy and reduce the risks for pregnant women and unborn babies.

Lo revealed that will be limited to couples who require assisted reproductive technologies due to disabilities or for other medical reasons  

Lo said there are some misconceptions among the public regarding assisted reproductive services, including among some young people who believe that they can delay childbirth till they are older. 

Lo, a specialist in liver transplants, said that giving birth before the age of 30 or after the age of 40 are vastly different from a health perspective, adding that assisted reproductive technology is not as simple as it may seem, and various complexities and risks are involved.

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“While assisted reproduction is necessary for couples facing fertility issues, for couples who are capable of conceiving naturally, choosing assisted reproduction can have an impact on their health, rather than just a matter of finances.” The government announced in the 2023 Policy Address that it will provide up to HK$100,000 in tax deductions per year for expenses on assisted reproductive services. 

Lo revealed that will be limited to couples who require assisted reproductive technologies due to disabilities or for other medical reasons. 

Principal officials of the SAR government will hold daily news conferences till Tuesday to elaborate on various initiatives unveiled in the 2023 Policy Address.