Lam unveils huge HK growth plans

Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor unveiled the final Policy Address of her current tenure on Wednesday, aligning the city's future with targets in the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and creating new impetus for its economic development.

The massive plan involves forward-looking measures to ensure the city takes full advantage of the country's development－including developing the city's northern border area with Shenzhen into a 300-square-kilometer metropolis, further strengthening national security education, and multiple initiatives to fulfill Hong Kong's new roles envisioned in the national strategy.

Delivering the fifth address of her tenure, she said that under the double safeguards of the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the improved electoral system, she is convinced that Hong Kong can further integrate into national development and play an irreplaceable role.

To offer a stable social environment for economic integration, the Hong Kong SAR government will proactively take forward the enactment of local legislation to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, Lam said.

She also proposed raising the awareness of abiding by the law and national security among Hong Kong people, in particular young people, through different activities and approaches.

To deepen ties with mainland Bay Area cities and further unleash Hong Kong's potential, Lam announced plans to develop a 300-square-kilometer area in Yuen Long and North District into a vibrant new metropolis. The area is expected to provide over 905,000 homes and 650,000 jobs.

Lam noted that the area, encompassing several new development areas and boundary control points, will be the "most vibrant" one in terms of Hong Kong's future urban development and population growth. It will also be the most important area for the city's integration into the Bay Area region.

The metropolis project also includes plans to build a new railway linking Hong Kong's New Territory district with the Qianhai cooperation zone in Shenzhen, and to set up customs checkpoints on the Shenzhen side of the Luohu checkpoint.

To fulfill the city's new functions outlined by the national plan, the address detailed measures in finance, shipping, trade, legal services, innovation and technology, art and culture, and the protection of intellectual property.

For example, the Hong Kong SAR government has proposed the establishment of a life and health research center in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, in order to leverage the city's strengths and the Greater Bay Area's market potential in this field.

Reviewing previous work, Lam said 96 percent of the 900 initiatives set out in her past four policy addresses had been fulfilled or were progressing on schedule. These mainly focused on land and housing, finance, technology and social welfare.

Noting that it is a great honor to serve as the city's chief executive, Lam said she has never been more confident in Hong Kong's future.

Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, chairwoman of the New People's Party, said the plan to restructure Hong Kong SAR government departments and bureaus will help officials change their traditional mindset and improve the city's governance. Such changes will help reshape the political landscape so that Hong Kong will be in a stronger position to integrate itself with the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan.