Policy Address

VII. Liveable City

My Belief

252. A liveable environment makes Hong Kong people happy, hopeful, confident about the future and have a sense of belonging to Hong Kong. Our people’s aspiration for a liveable city has grown in step with social development. In addition to tackling the pressing problems of land and housing supply, we will also strive to develop a convenient transport network, a green countryside, a beautiful harbour, a sustainable environment, a heritage with historical significance, as well as quality cultural, arts, recreational and sports activities and good social order, so that people will be keen to stay in Hong Kong and make it their home.

Transport

253. Hong Kong’s public transport services are comprehensive and efficient. Over 12 million passenger trips are made on different public transport services each day, which account for nearly 90% of the total passenger trips. That said, we cannot afford to be complacent. We must proactively create capacity through a “transport first” strategy, develop our public transport and enhance its safety and service quality so that the public can travel conveniently.

Developing Transport Infrastructure

254. Hong Kong people have always been proud of our transport infrastructure with high connectivity, which is also one of the keys to maintaining our competitiveness. In this bumper year for transport infrastructure, we witnessed the commissioning of the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link three weeks ago. The 26-kilometre Hong Kong Section is seamlessly connected to the currently 25 000 kilometres long and ever expanding national high-speed rail network, greatly shortening the travelling time by rail between Hong Kong and major cities in the Mainland. The HZMB, which is crucial to facilitating the flow of people and goods within the Greater Bay Area, will soon be commissioned, linking up Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The project on the new land boundary control point at Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai connecting Hong Kong and Shenzhen East is also expected to be completed in 2019. These three major cross-boundary infrastructure projects are the fruits of the efforts made by the governments and construction teams concerned over the years.

255. As for local road networks, the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link will be commissioned between late 2018 and early 2019. The Link will become a strategic highway running along the northern part of Hong Kong Island, and it will then take only 5 minutes to drive from Central to Island Eastern Corridor at North Point. There is also major progress in the Route 6 project: both the main tunnel of Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin Tunnel forming its eastern section and the Central Kowloon Route forming its western section have commenced construction; while the Trunk Road T2 and the Cha Kwo Ling Tunnel forming its middle section will commence construction in the latter half of 2019 after funding approval is obtained from the LegCo, with a view to fully commissioning the entire Route 6 in 2025. By then, the journey time along the Route 6 between Tseung Kwan O (TKO) Town Centre and Yau Ma Tei Interchange will be substantially reduced from about 65 minutes now to about 12 minutes. Besides, the TKO Cross Bay Link connecting the east of Route 6 is expected to be completed in 2022. Upon commissioning, the Route 6 will provide the public with a more convenient express access between TKO New Town and Kowloon West.

256. As to local railway network, we will continue to press ahead with the construction of the Shatin to Central Link and, at the same time, deal with the uncovered quality and supervision issues about the Hung Hom Station extension works in a serious manner. Looking ahead, we will progressively implement the new railway projects proposed under the “Railway Development Strategy 2014”.

Alleviating Road Traffic Congestion

257. Hong Kong has limited road space. It would be difficult for us to tackle traffic congestion by building roads continuously. Traffic management measures are necessary in areas where the traffic is particularly congested, such as tunnels and business districts. To make more efficient use of tunnels and roads in business districts, we propose to adopt the concept of “Congestion Charging” and study possible upward and downward adjustments of the levels of tolls for different types of vehicles using tolled tunnels and the Tsing Ma and Tsing Sha Control Areas so as to allocate more effectively the limited road space in those areas. With the impending commissioning of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link, the Government will continue to press ahead with the Electronic Road Pricing Pilot Scheme in Central and its adjacent areas. We will put forward specific proposals for the Pilot Scheme in the first half of 2019 for stakeholder consultation.

258. At present, three types of vehicles, namely private cars, taxis and motorcycles, constitute some 75% of cross-harbour traffic volume. According to a study by the Transport Department, to achieve reasonable re-distribution of traffic among the road harbour crossings, we must make effective use of the larger design capacity of the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC) by encouraging some of the private cars, taxis and motorcycles currently using the Cross Harbour Tunnel (CHT) or the Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC) to use the WHC instead, so as to effectively alleviate cross-harbour traffic congestion and minimise the impact on non-cross-harbour traffic. The Government proposes that, with effect from 1 January 2020, the actual tolls payable by private cars, taxis and motorcycles for using the WHC be lowered, while the corresponding tolls of the CHT and EHC be increased at the same time in order to achieve effective traffic re-distribution. To this end, we have reached an in-principle agreement with the franchisee of the WHC on a toll compensation scheme.

259. As for franchised buses with large carrying capacity, we propose waiving the tolls charged on franchised buses for using government tunnels and roads¹¹. We have also reached an in-principle agreement with the franchisee of the WHC for the Government to pay for franchised bus operators the tolls for using the WHC, so that the toll savings can be directly used to ease fare increase pressure, thereby alleviating the burden of public transport expenses on citizens. The non-means tested Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme I proposed in last year’s Policy Address will soon be launched. We are also exploring with the franchisee of the Tai Lam Tunnel on such an arrangement for franchised buses using the Tai Lam Tunnel.

260. We will also continue to develop Hong Kong into a walkable city so as to allow citizens to walk comfortably, instead of using mechanised transport, for first and last mile short-distance connection.

Increasing the Provision of Parking Spaces

261. The vehicle fleet size in Hong Kong has been growing rapidly over the past decade at an average rate of 3% per annum. Since car parking provision is growing at only 0.9% a year on average, the shortage of parking spaces is a concern of many car owners. We need to provide more car parking spaces to respond to public aspirations, with priority accorded to meeting the parking needs of commercial vehicles.

262. The Government will follow the principle of “single site, multiple uses” to provide public car parking spaces in suitable “Government, Institution or Community” facilities and public open space (POS) projects. For example, the Government plans to provide public car parking spaces beneath the POS at Sze Mei Street, San Po Kong and at the Joint User Government Office Building in Area 67, TKO. Subject to technical feasibility, we expect that at least 1 500 public car parking spaces will be provided in suitable government facilities and POS over the next five years.

263. Furthermore, when the Government constructs disciplined services quarters, we will increase the provision of car parking spaces as far as technically feasible, taking into full account the unique operational requirements of the disciplined services. We will also continue to require private development projects to provide car parking spaces under lease conditions.

Improving Public Transport Services

264. To further enhance the operational safety of franchised buses, the Government will subsidise franchised bus operators in retrofitting existing buses with appropriate safety devices, including retrofitting all seats on the upper deck of some buses with seat belts.

265. We are working towards enhancing vibrancy of the Hung Hom harbourfront, through preparing for re-commissioning the “Central-Hung Hom” ferry route and launching a pilot “water taxi” service plying Kai Tak, Hung Hom, Tsim Sha Tsui East, West Kowloon and Central; and through injecting commercial elements into the Hung Hom (South) Pier. Besides, the Government is studying the long-term operation model for outlying island ferry routes and will announce the results in the first half of 2019.

266. The Government has been promoting the opening-up of the operating data by public transport operators to facilitate commuting and trip planning of the public. To provide real-time arrival information of green minibuses (GMBs), the Government will fund and develop a data collection system and a mobile application, as well as install relevant devices on GMBs to enable passengers to access the real-time arrival information of GMBs through the mobile application. The relevant data will also be released in machine-readable format for public use. GMB operators can make use of the data for fleet management with a view to improving the operational efficiency.

Pedestrian-friendly Environment

267. To facilitate access to walkways by the public, the Government is striving to retrofit barrier-free access facilities under the Universal Accessibility Programme and will commence a feasibility study in the first half of 2019 on lift retrofitting proposals for the remaining 120 or so walkways under the current ambit of the programme with a view to taking forward the feasible items expeditiously. In the meantime, we will also conduct a review in 2019 to explore the scope for further expanding the ambit of the programme to benefit more people in need.

Environment and Nature Conservation

Improving Air Quality

268. Improving roadside air quality to better protect public health has always been a key environmental priority of the Government. Over the past five years, roadside concentrations of key air pollutants, namely respirable suspended particulates and nitrogen dioxide, have reduced by around 30%. To further bring down roadside air pollutant levels, we plan to introduce the following new measures:

1. tighten the emission standards for newly registered motor cycles to Euro IV in 2020;
2. launch an incentive-cum-regulatory scheme to progressively phase out Euro IV diesel commercial vehicles by the end of 2023;
3. fully subsidise franchised bus companies in conducting a trial on retrofitting Euro IV and Euro V franchised buses with enhanced selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce their nitrogen oxides emissions;
4. review the scope of the Pilot Green Transport Fund with a view to facilitating the transport sector’s wider use of green transport technologies, including commercial and public electric vehicles; and
5. continue to encourage the use of new energy vehicles in the hope that all newly registered private cars in Hong Kong will eventually be new energy vehicles in the long run. As the first step, we may consider ceasing the first registration of diesel private cars subject to consultation with stakeholders.

269. The review of Air Quality Objectives has reached its final stage. We will report to the Advisory Council on the Environment the findings of the review and our proposal for tightening these objectives by the end of this year.

Waste Reduction and Recycling and Marine Conservation

270. The Government will continue to work in full steam to implement the Hong Kong: Blueprint for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-2022. Sitting at the centre of our overall waste reduction strategy is the implementation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) charging, which will provide the necessary financial incentives to drive behavioural and cultural changes, and to encourage members of the public to proactively practise waste reduction at source and clean recycling. It is a very challenging task to successfully implement this important policy initiative. For some time in the past, we have consulted the public and the relevant trades on this policy and the implementation arrangements with a view to fostering a consensus in the community. We will introduce the amendment bill into the LegCo for scrutiny shortly. After passage of the legislation, there will be a preparatory period of about 12 to 18 months to allow the Government, various stakeholders and the public to prepare for the implementation of MSW charging. We will also significantly step up public education and publicity to deepen the community’s understanding of MSW charging arrangements.

271. To complement the implementation of MSW charging, the Government is ready to provide recurrent resources to strengthen our support on waste reduction and recycling¹². We will provide an additional provision of around $300 million to $400 million for the 2019-20 financial year to start with, which would be further increased from the financial year when MSW charging is to be implemented. The amount of this annual provision would be commensurate with the estimated gross revenue to be generated from MSW charging, so as to achieve the effect of “dedicated-fund-for-dedicated use”.

272. The Government will also strengthen actions in tackling the challenges posed by waste plastics. In the coming year, we will take forward various enhanced or new initiatives, including installing more water dispensers/filling stations in government venues to inculcate a “bring your own bottle” culture, taking the lead in banning plastic straws and poly-foam food containers in premises mainly serving government staff, requiring restaurant operators in suitable government venues to avoid using disposable plastic tableware when awarding new or renewing existing contracts; and working with the food and beverage industry to promote using less disposable plastic tableware. We will also review the operation of the plastic shopping bag charging scheme to enhance its effectiveness in waste reduction.

273. In view of the potential impact of disposable plastic tableware on Hong Kong and even the worldwide marine environment and ecology, we will study the feasibility, scope and mechanism of controlling or banning disposable plastic tableware.

274. We will step up government actions to strengthen clean-up of the shorelines across the territory and regional co-operation in protecting the marine environment. Quite a number of organisations and volunteers in Hong Kong are willing to contribute to keeping our shorelines clean. We will establish a Clean Shoreline Liaison Platform to leverage community efforts to protect the marine environment.

Climate Change and Energy

275. The Paris Agreement, which came into force in November 2016, applies to the HKSAR as well. Pursuant to the Paris Agreement, all Parties should strive to formulate and communicate long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies by 2020. As part of our country as well as a responsible member of the global community, Hong Kong needs to draw up by 2020 our own long-term decarbonisation strategy up to 2050. To this end, the Government has invited the Council for Sustainable Development to conduct a public engagement exercise in 2018-19.

276. Promoting the development of renewable energy is an integral part of mitigating climate change. We will introduce renewable energy in a more systematic manner with the Government taking the lead.

277. For the private sector, we have introduced Feed-in Tariff to provide incentives for individuals and non-government bodies to invest in renewable energy. We will further provide support and facilitation to the private sector, including suitably relaxing the restrictions on installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the rooftops of New Territories Exempted Houses (also known as “village houses”), and making appropriate relaxations for other private buildings, in particular the low-rise ones. In addition, we will introduce a new programme to assist schools and NGOs in installing small-scale renewable energy systems.

278. For the public sector, the Government will continue to take the lead in developing renewable energy, including launching large-scale renewable energy projects. We will explore the installation of large-scale floating PV systems at suitable locations in reservoirs and consider installing PV panels at suitable landfills.

279. As electricity use in buildings accounts for about 90% of the total electricity consumption in Hong Kong, energy efficiency in buildings is a critical means to reduce carbon emissions. The Government is leading by example to enhance energy efficiency of existing government buildings. We are on track to meet our five-year target to achieve a 5% electricity saving for government buildings by 2019-20. To achieve further saving, we are gearing up to conduct retro-commissioning progressively in suitable major government buildings to improve their energy efficiency. We will also encourage bureaux and departments to apply for green building certification for buildings under their management to demonstrate our commitment to low-carbon growth.

280. The phased implementation of the District Cooling System (DCS) at the Kai Tak Development is progressing smoothly. Upon its full completion in 2025, the maximum annual saving in electricity consumption is estimated to be 85 million kilowatt-hour. In line with the Government’s commitment to low-carbon development, we will also explore the feasibility of providing DCSs in other New Development Areas such as Tung Chung and Kwu Tung North.

281. The Government has tasked the Working Group on External Lighting to review the effectiveness of the Charter on External Lighting and to study how to further regulate external lighting.

Nature Conservation

282. We will continue to implement the Hong Kong Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan as Hong Kong’s long-term blueprint for nature conservation and sustainable development.

Animal Welfare

283. The Government attaches great importance to promoting and safeguarding animal welfare. For amending the legislation related to animal welfare, we are mapping out the major direction and drawing up preliminary proposals for public consultation early next year, which include exploring raising the penalties for acts of cruelty to animals and introducing animal keepers’ responsibility of positive duty of care of animals.

284. The Police are committed to tackling cruelty to animals. To enlist wider public support and participation in their work in this respect, the Police will implement the “Animal Watchers” Scheme in 2019-20 and co-ordinate and deepen the mutual understanding and partnership among relevant stakeholders.

City Management

Management of Public Works

285. The performance of project management and cost control of public works has always been a major public concern. We will upgrade the Project Cost Management Office and expand its establishment and functions for implementing strategic initiatives and enhancing capabilities in cost surveillance and project governance. The Government will establish a Centre of Excellence for Major Project Leaders to equip officers with innovative minds and world-class leadership skills in the delivery of public works projects.

Building Safety

286. At present, there are about 66 000 lifts in Hong Kong. Lifts are safe for use with proper periodic examinations and maintenance. With rapid technological advancement in recent years, modern lifts are equipped with more comprehensive safety devices than the aged ones. Therefore, expediting lift modernisation is conducive to enhancing lift safety and further safeguarding safety of the public. In view of this, the Government plans to launch the Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme (LIMSS) with a provision of around $2.5 billion by modelling on the on-going Operation Building Bright 2.0 Scheme and Fire Safety Improvement Works Subsidy Scheme. The LIMSS will target at residential or composite buildings whose rateable values do not exceed the prescribed level, with additional subsidy for elderly owner-occupiers of eligible buildings, for modernising aged lifts not meeting the latest technical standards. We will partner with the URA in implementing the LIMSS and hope to launch it in the first quarter of next year to assist the needy owners in expediting lift modernisation.

Drinking Water Safety

287. The Government is working at full throttle to take forward the Action Plan for Enhancing Drinking Water Safety in Hong Kong announced in September last year. We have implemented water quality monitoring at the consumers’ end, formulated more stringent measures to regulate plumbing materials and commissioning of new plumbing installations, developed guidelines and templates to assist consumers in implementing the Water Safety Plan for Buildings, and will continue to enhance public education on drinking water safety. Besides, we have set up the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee to make recommendations to the Government on matters relating to drinking water safety. The DEVB is carrying out a study on establishing a drinking water safety regulatory regime suitable for Hong Kong, and will set up a dedicated team shortly to monitor the performance of the Water Supplies Department (WSD) on safeguarding drinking water safety. The WSD is also conducting a holistic review of the Waterworks Ordinance and the Waterworks Regulations, and will put forward legislative amendment proposals at an appropriate time.

Building Management

288. To assist owners in discharging properly their building management responsibilities, we launched a series of support measures in the past year, including the pilot Building Management Dispute Resolution Service, steered by a retired judge/judicial officer, to provide objective opinions on building management dispute cases; the Pilot Scheme on Advisory Services to Owners’ Corporations (OCs) to assist OCs in handling building management matters in accordance with the Building Management Ordinance (BMO), relevant Codes of Practice and administrative guidelines through a professional property management company engaged by the HAD; and the Central Platform on Building Management, co-ordinated by the HAD, providing one-stop briefings by relevant departments to introduce various services and schemes on building management and maintenance to owners. The revised Codes of Practice, which set out best practices on building management, came into effect on 1 September this year. Meanwhile, we are actively following up on the review of the BMO and will strive to submit the amendment bill to the LegCo by the end of next year.

Water Quality of the Victoria Harbour

289. With continuous improvements to the Victoria Harbour’s water quality, the cross-harbour swimming race which has been well received by the public will continue to be held right at the centre of the harbour this year. The Government will make sustained efforts to improve the water quality of the Victoria Harbour and tackle the near-shore odour problems. Currently, construction of dry weather flow interceptors has commenced in areas around West Kowloon and Tsuen Wan, and plans are being made to construct such additional facilities in other coastal areas of the Victoria Harbour. In addition, the upgrading of the Kwun Tong Preliminary Treatment Works is being taken forward, and the tender exercises for the provision of public sewers in Lei Yue Mun and the rehabilitation of ageing underground sewers in various districts are also underway. Upon completion of these projects, further improvements can be made to the Victoria Harbour’s water quality.

Harbourfront Enhancement

290. We strive to link up the waterfront areas on both sides of the Victoria Harbour to provide quality public space for all to enjoy the unique and spectacular view of our harbour. Under the works for the new harbourfront in Wan Chai North to be launched next year, two promenades of different themes will be constructed and upon their completion by 2021, the three-kilometre waterfront areas from Sheung Wan to Wan Chai Ferry Pier will be linked up. We are also refining the proposed alignment of the waterfront boardwalk on Island East, and will start the detailed design work once the proposal is endorsed. As regards the open space at the promenade near Shing Sai Road in Kennedy Town, the project will be completed progressively starting from the first quarter next year. The open space will be open for public use to complement the nearby community garden and related facilities to be run by NGOs in future.

291. Next year, enhancement works at the waterfront near Hoi On Road in Tsuen Wan will commence in phases, while the funding application for Hoi Sham Park extension works in To Kwa Wan will also be tabled at the LegCo. The Energising Kowloon East Office is inviting non-profit-making organisations to operate a weekend flea market at the Kai Tak airport runway tip. As for the proposed urban park in front of Hung Hom Ferry Pier, we will invite interested parties to submit expressions of interest later this year on the design and operation model.

Heritage Conservation

Historic Buildings

292. We have made good progress in our heritage conservation work over the past year. Since its inception, the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme (Revitalisation Scheme) has rolled out five batches involving a total of 19 projects. Among the nine projects that have commenced operation, five have obtained the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, with the “Viva Blue House” revitalised from the Blue House Cluster in Wan Chai winning the top honour of the Award of Excellence. This is the first time a built heritage conservation project in Hong Kong has received this honour. Meanwhile, the three projects¹³ under Batch III of the Revitalisation Scheme will be commissioned at the end of this year. Furthermore, the revitalisation project of the Central Police Station Compound (Tai Kwun), taken forward by the Government in collaboration with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, was open to the public in May 2018. The various facilities of and activities held at Tai Kwun have received rave reviews from the public and arts organisations.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

293. The Government has allocated $300 million this year to strengthen the preservation, promotion and transmission of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will expand the capacity of its Intangible Cultural Heritage Office, and make full use of the additional funding of $300 million to collaborate closely with ICH bearers and related organisations in further enhancing community engagement in the preservation and transmission of ICH.

Arts and Culture

294. Our vision is to develop Hong Kong into an international cultural metropolis grounded in Chinese traditions and enriched by different cultures. We are pleased to witness the growing vibrancy of the city’s flourishing cultural and artistic creation in recent years in response to the public’s aspirations for diversified cultural and arts programmes and to help expand the audience base.

295. The current-term Government renders active support to the development of culture and arts. Among other initiatives, $20 billion have been set aside for upgrading existing cultural hardware and building new facilities, and $500 million will be allocated to the LCSD to acquire museum collections and organise exhibitions. Various cultural projects will be completed one after another over the next few years, which will help satisfy the long-term development needs in local culture and arts. On performing arts, the Xiqu Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) to be commissioned in end-2018 aims at preserving and promoting the art of Xiqu. Scheduled for opening in the second quarter next year, Freespace will present brand new arts experience for audience. Further, works progress of the cross-district cultural centre in East Kowloon and the Lyric Theatre Complex in the WKCD has been satisfactory. On visual arts, the WKCD will boast two world-class museums, namely M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Moreover, the Hong Kong Museum of Art has just received donations of precious paintings and calligraphy from Chih Lo Lou and the family of Wu Guanzhong, and these two batches of art treasures will be displayed as permanent exhibits upon the re-opening of the museum in end-2019. By then, these three museums with distinct identities will stand as novel landmarks for culture, arts and tourism on the waterfront of the Victoria Harbour.

296. To support the development of museums, expand the audience base and further promote STEM education, history, arts and culture, we plan to expand the Hong Kong Science Museum and Hong Kong Museum of History, and continue to revamp the permanent exhibitions of these two museums and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

297. The Government will leverage technology to provide innovative public library services as well as to enhance the facilities, service quality, cost-effectiveness and customer friendliness of the libraries to promote city-wide reading culture and support Hong Kong’s development as a smart city. We will also continue to unite the efforts of various parties, including the education sector, community organisations, DCs etc., to forge strategic partnerships and foster a territory-wide atmosphere conducive to reading.

Sports Development

298. In the Asian Games held in Indonesia last August, Hong Kong athletes impressed the world with their outstanding achievements. Having gone through years of tough training, our athletes demonstrated perseverance and remarkable sportsmanship in the games. I believe, like me, everyone in Hong Kong takes pride in their remarkable performance. I would like to thank all our athletes, their coaches, sports professionals and relevant organisations for their efforts. By providing athletes with greater support in training, sports science, sports medicine etc., and by proactively looking into ways to enhance facilities in the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the Government will continue to support the development of elite sports and assist our athletes in scaling new heights in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and in other major international sports competitions in the future.

299. We will continue to offer diversified and modern sports and recreational facilities and services to promote sports for all, and implement measures to develop a strong sporting culture through encouraging public participation (particularly among young people), developing elite athletes and organising mega sports events. The Government is forging ahead with the Kai Tak Sports Park Project, the contract of which is expected to be awarded at the end of this year. The project, which is scheduled for completion between 2022 and 2023, aims to provide world-class facilities for the promotion of holistic sports development and to attract more international sports events and competitions to Hong Kong. Meanwhile, we will continue to take forward the Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreational Facilities to increase and enhance the provision of district facilities, with a view to promoting sports for all. In the past two legislative sessions, a total of ten projects were granted funding approval by the LegCo. We will continue to submit funding applications for other projects to the LegCo.

300. The Government has earmarked $500 million to implement the Major Sports Events Matching Grant Scheme with a view to encouraging more private sponsorships from the community and the business sector to support major sports events. We hope to obtain the LegCo’s funding approval as soon as possible so that the scheme can be rolled out in 2019.

Safe City

301. The law and order situation in Hong Kong has remained stable in recent years, with the overall number of crime cases last year being the lowest since 1975. The good law and order situation not only makes Hong Kong a very liveable city, but also increases our attractiveness to companies in the Mainland and overseas alike. To ensure that Hong Kong remains one of the safest cities in the world, the Government will continue to stay vigilant in closely monitoring the latest crime trends and taking preventive and resolute enforcement actions, especially in guarding against terrorist activities. An Inter-departmental Counter-terrorism Unit was set up in April this year to provide an inter-departmental counter-terrorism (CT) platform on top of the original CT framework. The unit will enhance the collation, co-ordination and analysis of CT intelligence and information; push forward CT drills and public education on emergency, and strengthen the overall CT deployment of Hong Kong.

 

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