Is Poverty Eradication Impossible?: A Critique on the Misconceptions of the Hong Kong Government

The first official poverty line for Hong Kong was announced by the new Commission on Poverty during the Poverty Summit on 28 September 2013. However, Leung Chun-ying, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stated at the same event that “poverty eradication is impossible.” Based on their misconceptions about poverty, Hong Kong government officials believe that poverty in Hong Kong can only be alleviated but not eradicated. This paper reviews the misconceptions of the government about wealth disparity and poverty, definitions of poverty, and the target of poverty alleviation. Using examples from the United Nations and the United Kingdom, this paper argues that with specific time-bound targets, political will, and the coordinated efforts of society, absolute poverty in Hong Kong can be eradicated, while relative poverty can be reduced as far as possible.