In this undated file photo, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po gives an interview. (ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY)
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is taking steps to simplify working processes and accelerate the pace of tackling house problems, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po wrote in his blog on Sunday.
Upon assuming office, the new governing team has been pressing ahead with various tasks at full speed to enhance governance, strengthen the momentum of development and improve people’s livelihoods, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said
Upon assuming office, the new governing team has been pressing ahead with various tasks at full speed to enhance governance, strengthen the momentum of development and improve people’s livelihoods, Chan said.
He also echoed President Xi’s speech, made on July 1 during his two-day tour of Hong Kong, in which Xi stressed the importance of solving land and housing supply problems with a “people-oriented” approach.
“Land and housing is one of the most important and urgent issue that needs to be addressed in order to sustain the momentum of Hong Kong’s development and address the difficulties faced by Hong Kong residents.”
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Chan’s remarks came after the government established four new working teams on July 6, two of which will focus on land and housing supply – the Steering Committee on Land and Housing Supply; and the Task Force on Public Housing Projects. The other two teams will focus on tackling intergenerational poverty and coordinating district affairs.
The two inter-departmental groups on land and housing, chaired respectively by Chan and Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun, will comprehensively steer and monitor the various segments involved in aspects from land creation to housing construction, according to the government news release.
The financial chief noted that two new working teams on land and housing supply will respectively hold their first meetings this week.
“The Steering Committee will coordinate all works of relevant bureaus and departments on land and housing supply, including affairs about planning, lands, environment, transport, infrastructure, social welfare and recreational facilities,” Chan said in his blog.
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“We will also review the progress of land creation projects in their different stages, from studies to site formation, so as to ensure that the supply of land for various uses would practically materialize.”
The steering committee will also formulate and release periodically a 10-year supply forecast for developable land, or “spade-ready sites”, to facilitate public monitoring of the government’s work, Chan said.
At the same time, the steering committee will lead various efforts to streamline development-related procedures, and formulate proposals to unlock the development potential of private land, to expedite land and housing supply on all possible fronts, according to Chan’s blog.
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As for the task force led by Wong, it will be responsible for overseeing the production of public housing, and its terms of reference include monitoring the timely handover of sites earmarked for construction of public housing projects; exploring measures to expedite their construction and intake; producing and continually updating forecasts of new public housing supply; considering and resolving major cross-bureau or inter-departmental issues affecting the timely completion of public housing projects, as well as considering and formulating measures to increase the supply of public housing.
aoyulu@chinadailyhk.com