HK Coalition to focus on scouting jobs for fresh graduates

HONG KONG - The newly formed Hong Kong Coalition said on Monday that its secretariat is looking for ways to provide internship and training programs for fresh graduates and to help them find jobs — among the pressing economic issues its members raised during the cross-sector alliance's formation.

The 1,545-member alliance will focus on invigorating the economy, tackling unemployment, and stimulating consumption in the days to come, it said in its first work report following its establishment last week.

Convened by former Hong Kong chief executives Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying, both now vice-chairmen of the country's top political advisory body, the group was founded on May 5 with the aim of assisting the government in tackling the city's economic, social and political challenges. The group consists of local civic and business leaders as well as people from the grassroots.

These economic and livelihood issues stood out when members expressed their concern over the city's development and called for pooling public resources to resolve the impasse in the city, the coalition said.

It also called for members to provide advice on how the alliance can achieve its founding goals, including helping combat the coronavirus pandemic, reviving the economy, and improving people's livelihoods, while upholding the "one country, two systems" principle and maintaining the city's rule of law.

In reviewing its work, the coalition highlighted in the report its campaign of handing out 10 million free face masks, 6 million for adults and 4 million for children, on Saturday to residents across the city.