The Policy Address (Chinese: 施政報告) is the annual address by the chief executive of Hong Kong (governor prior to the territory's handover from the UK to China). The practice of giving annual policy addresses is mandated under Article 64 of the Basic Law, which requires the government to "present regular policy addresses to the [Legislative] Council".[citation needed]
The Policy Address was first introduced in 1972 by Governor Sir Murray MacLehose during the British rule of Hong Kong. It was called the "Address by the Governor" and was modelled after the Queen's Address in the United Kingdom. It aimed to strengthen communications with Hong Kong residents after the 1967 Hong Kong riots.[1]
The Policy Address used to be given in October as the Legislative Council reconvened, but was changed to January by Tung Chee-hwa in 2002. This was reverted to October by his successor, Donald Tsang. After Leung Chun-ying succeeded Tsang in 2012, he changed the policy address back to January.[2] It was again changed back to October after Carrie Lam became Chief Executive in 2017.[citation needed]
Two weeks after the address, the chairman of the House Committee of the Legislative Council moves a Motion of Thanks, similar to Address in Reply motions in other legislatures, and members of the Council debate the Policy Address.[citation needed]
Most people see the policy address as useful and a way of predicting how the Chief Executive will operate.[citation needed]
There were no titles for the Policy Addresses before 1992.
