Lam was earlier on Wednesday forced to abort her annual policy address after some lawmakers jeered as she began speaking, causing an unprecedented cancellation of the speech in the legislature of the Chinese-ruled city.

The Beijing-backed Lam later gave her speech over a video feed, saying her government would drastically increase the number of housing projects and accelerate the sale of public housing schemes.

Anger over sky-high property prices, especially among the young, is widely believed to have fuelled the at times violent protests that have rocked the city for months.

Earlier, pro-democracy lawmakers shouted "Five demands, not one less" as they heckled Lam, who faces immense pressure to regain trust and resolve the city's biggest political crisis in decades, in a disruption that forced the meeting to be adjourned twice.

The dissenting legislators managed to project the call for "Five demands, not one less", which has become one of the pro-democracy movement's rallying cry, onto a backdrop behind Lam as she tried to deliver her speech.

The demands include universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into what they say has been excessive force by police in dealing with demonstrations.

Some of the protesting lawmakers wore masks of Chinese President Xi Jinping inside the chamber.

Pro-democracy legislator Tanya Chan said Lam was to blame for Hong Kong's chaos.

"Both her hands are soaked with blood," an emotional Chan told a news conference after the policy session.

"We hope Carrie Lam withdraws and quits. She has no governance ability ... she is not suitable to be chief executive."

Security was very tight before Lam's third policy address, with riot police stationed outside and water cannon on standby.

She was speaking hours after the US House of Representatives passed legislation related to the Hong Kong protests, drawing a swift rebuke from Beijing, which accused the lawmakers of "sinister intentions".

One of the measures would require the US secretary of state to certify every year that Hong Kong retained its autonomy in order to keep receiving the special treatment that has allowed it to be a major financial centre.

Lam has ruled out making any concessions to the protesters in the face of escalating unrest, saying, "Violence would only breed more violence."

Lam said her government would uphold "one country, two systems" while she warned that Hong Kong's economy was suffering badly, with the city expected to enter a technical recession in the third quarter.

Authorities have arrested more than 2300 people since June when the unrest escalated.

Ending her address on a positive note, Lam said the city faced its "most formidable challenge" since returning to Chinese rule in 1997 but by restoring law and order, it would "emerge from the storm and embrace the rainbow".

Australian Associated Press