Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, has just delivered her fourth Policy Address, covering about 200 new initiatives. The Chief Secretary for Administration, Matthew Cheung, said in a blog post today (Nov. 29) that this is a comprehensive, rich, pragmatic and progressive policy address, as well as a forward-looking and groundbreaking policy blueprint. The policy address is a combination of short-term, medium-term and long-term policy initiatives that will bring new hope and confidence to HK. He highlighted that Lantau Tomorrow Vision is the largest scale and largest land supply option of its kind, and that it is definitely a land creation project worth investing in.
According to Cheung, finding suitable and sufficient land for housing is an extremely difficult problem that has existed for a long time and requires the cooperation of all sectors of the community to get out of the dilemma.
At present, the funding application of "Lantau Tomorrow Vision" involves the study of 1,000 hectares of reclamation and related strategic transportation infrastructure for the Artificial Islands in the Central Waters. The HK government will strive to commence the study as soon as possible, and will continue to listen to the views of various parties during the study process and actively explore innovative financing options.
Cheung also pointed out that the plan has a number of obvious benefits, including developing new land, increasing the supply of housing at a ratio of 70% public housing, improving HK's overall transportation network and solving traffic congestion in the northwest New Territories, and bringing enormous economic benefits to HK.
In addition, the Policy Address also introduced the "Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme" to encourage and support young people to work and develop their careers in mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area. Cheung said that the construction of the Greater Bay Area is a major development strategy for the country's further reform and opening up, as well as a key direction for HK to regain its economic momentum after the epidemic.
He said that the Greater Bay Area provides a new runway for the employment and career development of HK young people, and is an important stage for their future development. With the active encouragement and support of the country and the SAR government, young people should catch up with the tide of the new era of national development, and dare to break through and accept the challenge, which will definitely be rewarding.
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