Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor speaks to members of the media at the press conference after she delivered her fifth Policy Address at the Legislative Council, Hong Kong, Oct 6, 2021 (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s proposal to revive the Ma Liu Shui reclamation project to create land for innovation and technology development is favorable for many start-ups in Hong Kong for them to expand, the Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit Wing-hang said Thursday.
Sit said he expected the Ma Liu Shui reclamation project, which Lam proposed to revive in her Policy Address on Wednesday, to be completed in the next five to 10 years, supporting the expansion of Science Park and Cyberport in the following years to further boost the city's technology sector.
Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit Wing-hang said he expected the Ma Liu Shui reclamation project to be completed in the next five to 10 years
“It is a golden age for the technology sector in the city”, said Sit, adding that the initiative shows the government’s commitment to support I&T development.
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Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology Annie Choi Suk-han said the project was shelved previously because of residents’ concerns about the impact of vehicular traffic on the land being used for residential purposes.
According to the latest Policy Address, the land will be used for I&T development, and officials believe the objections will be minimal, she said.
The minimum of 250 hectares of land allocated for I&T development proposed in the Policy Address, along with projects to attract and nurture talent in science and technology, are expected to create sufficient space and opportunities for the development of I&T talent, said Hong Kong United Youth Science and Technology Association Chairman Yvonne Wong.
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The government should adopt a multipronged approach to ensure science and technology talent thrived in the city, she said, noting that Hong Kong’s tertiary institutions and universities should provide more industry-related programs in innovation and technology to meet the demand for skilled personnel in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
suzihan@chinadailyhk.com