Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, at a media session at the lobby of the West Wing, Central Government Offices, today (August 2):
Reporter: Can you elaborate on how the task force is going to operate?
Secretary for Development: As the Chief Executive said this morning, we aim to establish a task force (on land supply) within August this year. And we aim to have the first meeting of the task force going in September. When we are ready with further details of the task force, including its membership and terms of reference, we will publicise and disclose in a timely manner.
Reporter: Can you also tell us what the plans are for how you are going to deal with the shortage in terms of housing and land?
Secretary for Development: I think two quick points, if I may. First of all, we would not hold up the work that we are already doing to increase our land supply to wait for the task force's deliberation. We don't think that's necessary. With regard to what we are already doing, again very briefly, I don't want to bore you with all the details, for the short to medium term, we are considering the planning or maybe more accurately the re-planning of 210 sites to increase the possibility of those sites, giving us some land supply. In the medium term, we will be proceeding with taking forward the various new development areas. In a longer term, as the "HK2030+" ("Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030") study has indicated, we are considering the possibility of developing central waters that will be a sizeable reclamation project ultimately housing 400 000 to 700 000 people. We are also considering the development of NT North (New Territories North). Again, as we have stated, with major infrastructure, it could house a population of up to 350 000. So, those are the work that we are doing and we aim to do them well. Thank you very much.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Issued at HKT 14:23
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