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Following is the speech (English translation) delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery today (July 3):
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to officiate at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery. Since our return to the motherland, setting a clear vision for Hong Kong's long term development has been one of our priority tasks. Taking into full account of our advantages and the global and regional trends, we have set out Hong Kong's positioning as a major city in China and Asia's world city. We will develop Hong Kong into a great city in which each and every fellow citizen can take pride.
The current economic restructuring has pinched many among us in Hong Kong with unemployment or pay cuts. But we must have faith in ourselves as we still possess many enviable strengths. Among the most important ones is our world-class infrastructure. We are committed to investing in infrastructure to sharpen our competitive edge for further economic development, and to build a better home for our citizens.
I hope this gallery displaying the future Hong Kong blueprint can help our citizens learn more about our infrastructure and thus reinforce confidence in our future development. From the exhibition, you can see that our future infrastructure will develop in four major directions:
First, we will undertake better town planning and develop the Victoria Harbour waterfront into an exquisite promenade. The Tamar site in Central will feature our future Central Government Complex along the Civic Corridor of Hong Kong. The site of the former Kai Tak Airport will become a new town of 260 000 residents with the largest sports stadium in Hong Kong, a metropolitan park, a cruise terminal and so on. In the West Kowloon Reclamation area, you will find a hub of arts, culture and entertainment equipped with first class museums and performance facilities. Meanwhile, the Urban Renewal Authority has started on its "early launch" projects in Shamshuipo, Tai Kok Tsui and Wanchai to revitalise these old urban districts. A Pilot Coordinated Maintenance of Buildings Scheme has also been launched. There are indeed many aged buildings in Hong Kong and good maintenance is essential. Through this scheme we will enhance their maintenance in a timely manner. Ten million dollars has been earmarked in this financial year for the District Revitalisation Scheme of 18 districts. Residents are encouraged to take part in the improvement of communal amenities. The scheme has been well received and making good progress.
Second, we will establish a good transport network and develop Hong Kong into the strategic gateway between the Mainland and the international economy. In the next 10 years, more than 100 kilometres of major trunk roads will be constructed and improved. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Western Corridor work has entered an intensive stage. Its completion in 2005 will bring the Pearl River Delta region even closer to Hong Kong. A number of new rail links will commence operation in the next few years. This year we will have the MTR Tseung Kwan O Extension; next year, the West Rail; the year after next, Ma On Shan-Tai Wai Rail and KCR Tsim Sha Tsui Extension. We are also planning five more rail link projects, including a railway express connecting Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou which will significantly shorten the trip between Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
Third, we strive to promote the development of tourism. New attractions will be created to further enhance Hong Kong's position as a favourite tourist destination in Asia. I am pleased that the Government has finalised the Cable Car System plan linking Tung Chung and the Big Buddha in Ngong Ping on Lantau Island. With the completion of both the System and the Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005, the northern Lantau will become another tourist node for Mainland and overseas visitors. I am also glad that the project to redevelop the former Marine Police Headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui has been scheduled for open tender in September. We will adopt a new concept to tie new tourist developments in with preservation of historic buildings. I look forward to the creation of one more characteristic attraction in Hong Kong under this private sector participation project.
Fourth, the Government will press on with environmental improvement projects, including measures to enhance air and water quality and greening plans to plant new trees in our country parks and in the urban areas. The full commissioning of the Stage 1 of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme in late 2001 has brought significant improvement to the water quality in Victoria Harbour. With the introduction of natural gas taxi and ultra-low sulphur diesel, the number of reports on air quality falling below standard has reduced by 45% as compared with that of two years ago, while the number of vehicles with excessive emissions on the road has reduced by half. To further improve our air quality, we are liaising and working closely with the Guangdong authorities for abatement measures and I believe we will make good progress in the years to come.
Infrastructure provides the linchpin to our further economic development and is of paramount importance to promoting employment and tourism and enhancing our living conditions and quality of life. While managing the challenges of economic restructuring, the SAR Government will also throw substantial investments into infrastructure projects to lay a firm foundation for our future development. With the full commitment of the SAR Government and the support of the community, we have indeed seen great advancement in our transportation facilities, urban planning, tourism development, environmental improvement and air quality. We have embarked on our old district renewal projects and will in the next decade or so launch over 1 600 major and minor projects with a total investment of $600 billion. I firmly believe that these investments will help us develop Hong Kong into a community that we will be more proud of, and that they will lead Hong Kong to sustain economic growth and create job opportunities. We will shorten all procedures as far as possible to facilitate early implementation of these projects for the interests of the whole community. I call on our fellow citizens to come to this exhibition to see for yourselves the direction of our future development. You will be confident that our home will be even better. We will rise to the challenges ahead and have a bright and promising future.
Thank you.
End/Wednesday, July 3, 2002
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