Carrie Lam to focus on housing, livelihoods to appease protesters

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam promised to prioritise housing and people’s livelihoods to appease deep-rooted discontent about the way the Asian financial hub has been governed, as protesters geared up for fresh demonstrations.

Lam, who said she caused "unforgivable havoc" by igniting the political crisis and would quit if she had a choice, said in a Facebook post late on Thursday her government would increase the supply of housing with more policies to be announced.

The protests that started over a now-withdrawn extradition bill have convulsed Hong Kong since June.

The protesters are also concerned about economic issues including the sky-high living costs and a lack of future job prospects.

Hong Kong has some of the world's most expensive property and many young people say the city's housing policy is unfair, benefitting the rich, while forcing them to live with their parents or rent "shoe-box" apartments at exorbitant prices.

Lam's comments come as activists plan the latest in a series of protests in the former British colony, which is grappling with its biggest political crisis in decades.