Northern Metropolis is the future economic engine of Hong Kong and we have high hopes for its success in bringing our city to a new level of development. Our country is moving forward unequivocally to the goal of achieving high quality productivity, and Hong Kong must not slacken but must gather pace for rejuvenation in order to integrate into the national development. While our CBD will continue to perform as the centre of trade and financial activities, Northern Metropolis will mark as a location for development of new technology and new business opportunities.
Due to its physical proximity to the mother country and its promise of tremendous development potential, Northern Metropolis has long been a focus attracting investment and long term planning by our sector, and we are well prepared to contribute to its development. At the Motion of Thanks Debate last November, I asked the Secretary for Development to engage our sector as early as possible, and listen to our views on how to implement various planning initiatives. The large scale land disposal approach is a brand new concept and its success hinges on strong collaborative efforts between the Government and the private sector.
I am very pleased that the Government has listened to my call for action and two briefings have been held by the Development Bureau in January to collect views, the one on 23 January being arranged especially for developers to tap into their experience of long-term development projects. There was a dyanmic and constructive dialogue on the issues closest to our hearts, including the development programme, tender terms, land premium model, infrastructure planning and implementation. While the Development Bureau expressed their hope for our enthusiastic participation, we also highlighted our concerns of the challenges posed by the unprecedented scale and extent of investments.
As the representative of our sector, I will continue to act as the connection between the industry and the Administration, and grasp any chance to convey views to both sides. I invite your suggestions on any matters concerning this subject so that we may play a proactive role in shaping the development of Northern Metropolis into a tremendous success.
