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Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, at the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Conference 2008 today (November 22):
Dr (Ronald) Lu, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
It is a great pleasure for me to join you today at this conference on Urbanism and Architecture, a topic that is extremely relevant to all our cities. And as a student of architecture, it is also a topic that reminds me of a course that I took with the great Kevin Lynch.
I congratulate the Hong Kong Institute of Architects on the conceptualisation of the thought and the implementation of the idea of bringing together leaders in the field from Shanghai, New York and London and, of course, Hong Kong to discuss our many connections.
SHANG . KONG . NY . LON is a thought-provoking title for the conference.
When TIME Magazine coined the name "Nylonkong" earlier this year, it was used to describe the connections between New York, London and Hong Kong as well as our collective role in globalisation.
I am delighted to see Shanghai becoming part of the inspirational connectivity between these great centres. And with Shanghai hosting the World Expo in 2010, there is no better partner in visioning our cities of the future.
As we set about designing Hong Kong for the year 2030, it is impossible to ignore the forces of globalisation and the impact they are having on our world today. Accurately predicting the impact of these forces in the long-term is impossible, but it is, indeed, possible if we have a clear strategy to ensure that our cities are not only well equipped to deal with whatever that lies ahead, but also help realise that vision of the future.
In September, the Hong Kong Government launched a branding exercise called My Hong Kong 2020, to engage the public on the direction they would like Hong Kong to take in the next decade and beyond. The aim is to co-create a vision for Hong Kong with as much input from the community as possible. This includes co-creating a vision for our architectural landscape as well as for future trends in innovation, creativity, education, the environment and other aspects that collectively give definition to a world-class city.
The exercise is in its second phase, and we are looking forward to analysing the enthusiastic responses.
The days when Hong Kong was simply a great place to work and little else are long gone. People today are passionate about the city's culture, heritage preservation and unique city lifestyle.
There is intense public concern about social, economic and environmental needs. Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, and people are increasingly placing the quality of living on a par with economic prosperity.
Hong Kong among World Major Cities
We have our architects and planners to thank for our iconic skyline which is famous around the world and draws a large number of visitors to our shores each year.
No doubt, if you were to send a postcard from any of our four cities, the chances are that it would have a waterfront scene - whether it is the Thames, the Bund, the Hudson or Victoria Harbour.
As a port city, Hong Kong's strength has traditionally been international trade which has gathered an impressive array of overseas talent here contributing fully to our cultural diversity and cosmopolitan lifestyle.
As well as having a spectacular harbour, we are fortunate enough to enjoy a climate that lends itself to outdoor activities - at least for most of the year. Hong Kong people enjoy the great outdoors whether it is al fresco dining, hiking or going to the beach, all of which are in easy reach in our small corner of the world.
Shanghai is the largest metropolis in China with 18 million people and an abundance of high quality talent. We can certainly learn from Shanghai's expansion, particularly over the past two decades, as our city grows and continues to integrate with the Pearl River Delta region.
Allow me to share some of the government's planning strategies on this issue of integration.
Government's Planning for Hong Kong 2030
At the turn of the century, our Commission on Strategic Development said in a report, and I quote: "Hong Kong should not only be a major Chinese city, but could become the most cosmopolitan city in Asia, enjoying a status comparable to that of New York in North America and London in Europe".
To transform the vision into spatial planning parameters, we undertook a consultancy study called "Hong Kong 2030: Planning Vision and Strategy". The study was completed last year.
We have since set a number of planning objectives and recommendations on how to respond to various social, economic and environmental needs in the next 20 to 30 years.
One of the most important issues is how to make the most of our established competitive advantages in our long-term development. Number one among these advantages is our proximity to the Mainland and our cross-boundary economic and trade activities.
In 1997, there was an average of some 200,000 cross-boundary passenger trips a day. That figure has increased two and a half times to some 500,000 trips last year. We expect this trend to continue in the next 20 years and beyond.
It is vital that we have the required infrastructure in place to cope with this rising trend to ensure a smooth flow of people as well as goods between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta.
One mega infrastructure project is the 29-kilometre Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge which will connect our city with the western part of the Pearl River Delta. We expect to begin construction of the bridge in 2010.
Another important project is the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link which will join up with the high-speed rail network on the Mainland. We expect to begin construction on the link next year.
By strengthening our physical connections with the Mainland, we will promote Hong Kong as a strategic location and reinforce our position as the transport and trade hub in southern China.
Hong Kong has a high-density environment. Our architects are constantly coming up with new and ingenious ways of making the most from our rugged terrain. But that's not all. Today, there are growing concerns about the visual and environmental impact of high-rise buildings.
Our Secretary for the Environment spoke about the issue of "green" architecture in some detail at the institute's third quarterly general meeting in September.
I don't intend to recap his speech but it does bear repeating that we are committed to meeting our obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in reducing greenhouse emissions and promoting energy efficiency.
We will be looking to our architects to help us achieve our environmental goals through new innovation and technology in our buildings-of-the-future, and in large-scale projects including the West Kowloon Cultural District and the Kai Tak Development Project.
Overcoming the Challenges
Now let's take a look at some of the challenges that we face, starting with population growth.
In his Policy Address last month our Chief Executive said, and I quote: "The Government also needs to take the lead in building a Hong Kong-Shenzhen international metropolis, as well as strengthen co-operation with Guangdong."
As Hong Kong's population grows, in tandem with demands for improved living standards, we will have to balance accommodating more people with the need for more open space.
The second challenge is urban renewal. Some 22,000 buildings in the city are more than 20 years old. Urban renewal will be an important part of our strategy in the coming years, and a comprehensive review of this strategy is under way.
Part of the review will incorporate the idea of protecting historic buildings in urban renewal.
Third, how do we make our city environmentally sustainable?
We will continue our best endeavours to provide a sustainable living environment for the people of Hong Kong. The Chief Executive has announced several policy initiatives in this area, including promoting a low carbon economy, clean fuels, enhancing energy efficiency in buildings and conducting energy audits.
I look forward to learning more about your ideas for the best ways to tackle these challenges.
Once again, ladies and gentlemen, I congratulate the Hong Kong Institute of Architects for staging this conference. We have been relying on the institute's members to design our city for more than 50 years.
The question today is about the next 50 years and more, and I certainly look forward to hearing more about how you intend to make the story even more interesting in the tale of our four cities.
I wish you all a successful conference and an enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.
Thank you.
Ends/Saturday, November 22, 2008
Issued at HKT 10:56
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