At the start of the 21st century, the HKSAR Government has undertaken a review of Hong Kong's long-term development strategies, partly to cope with the changes and capitalise on the opportunities arising from the reunification with the Mainland, and partly in response to the many challenges in the face of globalisation and the emergence of a knowledge-based economy. The review follows a two-year study by the Commission on Strategic Development which encompasses a vision and a strategic framework for Hong Kong to become, not only a major city in China, but also Asia's world city.

Asia's Cyber City for the Cyber Century

Hong Kong has set itself on course to become the centre for innovation and technology in East Asia—a cyber city in the cyber century. Much is being done to realise this goal and to capitalise on the enormous opportunities thrown up by the information revolution.

Cyberport
Cyberport — Hong Kong's IT flagship — is a HK$15.8 billion (US$2 billion) landmark project managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited and owned by the HKSAR Government. It is creating an interactive environment that will be home to a strategic cluster of more than 100 information technology (IT) companies and more than 10 000 IT professionals. This clustering of local and overseas companies and professional talent is envisioned as a catalyst and hub for the growth of local and regional IT industries, with particular emphasis on IT applications, information services and multimedia content creation. Cyberport will also provide IT education for the broader community.

Cyberport represents a commitment on the part of the Government of the HKSAR to facilitate Hong Kong's development as a leading digital city in the region. The project is being developed on a 24-hectare site at Telegraph Bay in the southern district of Hong Kong Island. Cyberport is being completed in phases extending through 2004, and when complete will feature 100 000 square metres of 'intelligent' office space.

Science Park
The Science Park aims to establish and nurture a world-class technology community dedicated to applied research and development. It is being developed along a clustering concept, with four clusters of electronics, IT and telecommunications, biotechnology and precision engineering. The first phase of the Science Park opened in June 2002. Phase II of the Science Park is to be completed by the end of 2007.

Infrastructure Projects for the 21st Century

An efficient and reliable infrastructure has played a key role in maintaining Hong Kong as a leading trade, finance, business and tourism centre in the region. Infrastructure development enables us to meet demands arising from population growth and help support our economic and trade development.

The HKSAR Government continues to invest heavily in capital works projects. It plans to spend under the Capital Works Programme an average of $29 billion (US$3.7 billion) per year for the next 5 years.

Railway Development
Further to the commissioning of West Rail in December 2003, four new railways are scheduled for completion between 2004 and 2007. Both the Tsim Sha Tsui Extension, which will provide a second rail interchange between the KCR and the MTR systems, and the Ma On Shan Rail, which will connect new towns in the eastern parts of Hong Kong with the urban areas, will be completed by 2004. The Penny's Bay Rail Link connecting Sunny Bay with Disneyland on Lantau Island is expected to be completed in 2005. A new rail passenger boundary crossing at Lok Ma Chau connecting Huanggang in Shenzhen is expected to be completed before mid-2007.

The 'Railway Development Strategy 2000' provides a blueprint for Hong Kong's rail network expansion up to 2016 or so. This involves a total investment of some $100 billion to complete five new passenger rail projects (the Kowloon Southern Link (KSL), Shatin to Central Link (SCL), Island Line Extensions (ILE), Northern Link (NOL), and Regional Express Line (REL)) and a Port Rail Line for freight. Upon their completion, Hong Kong's rail network will expand by some 40 per cent to over 250 kilometres. The railways' share of the public transport system will be boosted from 30 per cent to about 40 per cent.

New Urban Development
The West Kowloon Reclamation project was completed in 2003. The reclamation has provided about 340 hectares of land to house a planned population of about 190 000. At the southern tip of the reclamation, another major development proposal is the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), which is currently under active planning. The intention is to develop the area into an arts, cultural, commercial and entertainment district with a distintive identity. The Government has invited proposals internationally for development of the WKCD.

The Outline Zoning Plan to guide redevelopment of the former Kai Tak Airport site was approved in June 2002. In view of a recent court ruling on reclamation in Victoria Harbour, a comprehensive review of the current development scheme will be carried out to ensure its compliance with the legal requirements. The review which covers the planning and engineering aspects, is expected to take two years. It will include extensive public involvement to gauge the community's wishes for this major waterfront site and to help build public consensus on revising the development scheme.

Road Projects
New strategic roads will alleviate urban congestion and provide vital new links into the New Territories and beyond. Among the major road projects are the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor, Deep Bay Link and Route 8 including the Stonecutters Bridge.

The 1 596-metre Stonecutters Bridge, with a main span of 1 018m, will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. It is the first long-span bridge located in an urban environment in Hong Kong and will be highly visible from Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. The bridge design was adopted from the winning design of an international competition in 2000 which elicited participation from the best design and engineering firms in the world.

This bridge is an important part of Route 8 between Tsing Yi and Sha Tin. On completion of the works in mid-2008, Hong Kong will be adding an east-west strategic route linking the eastern part of the New Territories to the airport. This new highway will provide direct access to Container Terminals No 8 and No 9 in Kwai Chung, which will further enhance Hong Kong as an important international logistics and transportation hub.

(Source: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government website)

Editor: Catherine