
SDEV concludes visit to Beijing (with photos)
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The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, concluded her visit to Beijing today (July 25).
In the morning, Ms Linn led the study tour on national water infrastructure, culture and technology to attend a seminar. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Department of Water Resources of Guangdong Province for making meticulous arrangements for the tour. She also thanked Hong Kong's engineering and education sectors for their joint efforts, which allowed the younger generation and the engineering community to gain first-hand understanding of the country's tremendous achievements in water infrastructure, deepen their appreciation of the country's rich history and culture, and learn about the rapid technological advancement and modernisation of the country. She firmly believed that the tour had strengthened the patriotic sentiments of Hong Kong's younger generation and enhanced the sense of mission among engineering professionals as builders of the country. She hoped that Hong Kong citizens, especially the younger generation, would be grateful for the care rendered by the country and remember the inseparable blood ties between the motherland and Hong Kong.
In the afternoon, Ms Linn visited urban renewal projects in Beijing to learn about the integration of the old and the new through the redevelopment of the local district of Zhonghai Daji Alley in Xicheng District; the enhancement of facilities in old district and revitalisation of old buildings in Yaojiang Hutong; and the enhancement of the environment of the old district by improving the facades and spatial layout of old buildings in Xidan Beidajie. She also visited an in-situ redevelopment and relocation project at No. 8, Huabichang Hutong, to learn about the adoption of the concrete Modular Integrated Construction method, which significantly reduced the construction period of the project to three months. It was implemented by the property owners with subsidies and personal investment. Ms Linn said that to effectively address the challenges of ageing buildings in Hong Kong, the Government will continue to adopt a multi-pronged approach to support and encourage public and private organisations to take forward urban renewal with an innovative and forward-looking mindset, using a dual-track approach of building rehabilitation and redevelopment to improve the living environment of residents.
Ms Linn concluded her visit and returned to Hong Kong this evening.
Ends/Friday, July 25, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:44
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