The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited North District this afternoon (September 8) to understand the district’s latest developments, in particular the Lok Ma Chau Loop and the new Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (BCP) under construction.
      
     He began the visit by meeting with North District Council (NDC) members and listened to their views on various development issues and matters of concern to the community.
      
     Accompanied by the Chairman of the NDC, Mr So Sai-chi, and the District Officer (North), Mr Chong Wing-wun, he was then briefed by officers from the Planning Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) on the development of the Loop while viewing the area from a lookout at Lok Ma Chau Police Station.
      
     Mr Cheung said that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government signed a memorandum of understanding in January this year and agreed to jointly develop the Loop into the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (IT Park). With a site area 87 hectares, which is four times that of the Hong Kong Science Park, the IT Park will be the largest innovation and technology platform in Hong Kong and create unprecedented development space and opportunities for innovation and technology in Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
      
     He subsequently visited the construction site of the new Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai BCP, and received updates on the works progress of the BCP building and the associated connecting road from officers of the CEDD and the Architectural Services Department.
      
     Mr Cheung noted that the new BCP will connect to the Shenzhen Eastern Corridor, hence providing a direct link to the eastern part of Guangdong Province, as well as Fujian and Jiangxi Provinces. This will facilitate regional co-operation and development in future and alleviate the heavy usage of the existing Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok BCPs.
      
     He was pleased to learn that after the new BCP connecting road is commissioned, the road network in North District will be greatly improved for the convenience of the local residents and conducive to the development of North District. The new BCP is targeted for commencement of operation by the end of 2018.
     

Ends/Friday, September 8, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:12

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