I made the following comments in my speech on the "motion of thanks" at the 28 October 2009 LegCo meeting. Apart from taking the initiatives in revitalisation and redevelopment of industrial buildings, the government should also look into the possibility of introducing more incentives to promote the development of the six industries being recommended by the Task Force on Economic Challenges. For the professional services sector, the government must continue to work with the PRC authorities for further market liberalisation and facilitating the participation of Hong Kong companies in the PRC projects. With regard to the real estate sector, prices of moderate-sized flats in traditional middle-class neighbourhoods have already risen to levels beyond the reach of many middle-class or professionals families, particularly the young ones. The limited supply of land has reduced considerably the number of building projects in the private sector in the past few years. It is therefore not surprising that the construction sector is so slow and the unemployment in the sector is still high. It is time for the government to review the land application list system and consider lowering the threshold for triggering a site for auction.

Public works projects dished out by the government will reach its peak in the coming few years. I urged the government once again to implement public works projects in an orderly and well-planned manner so as to ensure a steady volume of work for the construction and engineering sectors. The government should start public engagement and public consultation in the early stage of the project development so as to ensure its smooth implementation.

For our future development, Hong Kong must work with Guangdong to create a green and quality living area in the greater Pearl River Delta Region. Besides raising the proportion of natural gas for local electricity generation in order to reduce our carbon emission, Hong Kong should explore the possibility of increasing the import of nuclear power from the PRC. In this connection, the administration should encourage more Hong Kong companies to invest in nuclear power development projects in the PRC. In promoting the use of electric vehicles, the government should partner with relevant parties to improve the availability of battery charging facilities. It is imperative that Hong Kong should update air quality objectives (AQOs) to the latest international standards. In addition, the government should proactively join hands with Guangdong to review the AQOs and to implement emission control measures. With regard to solid waste management, there is an urgent need for the government to adopt advanced incineration technology.

Projects approved by Public Works Subcommittee (PWSC)
PWSC, of which I am Chairman, approved three funding applications with estimated costs totalling HK$2.48 billion at its 4 November 2009 meeting. They included the increase of HK$100 million in a block allocation subhead covering landslip preventive works and related studies, site formation for Kai Tak Cruise Terminal development, reconstruction of footbridge near Hsin Kuang Centre and extension of bus bays at Lung Cheung Road. An overview of potential submissions to PWSC was also tabled for discussion.

Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) delegation to Taiwan
I led a 39-member Hong Kong infrastructure and real estate service sectors delegation to Taiwan for a two-day visit from 19 to 20 October 2009. Members of the delegation included engineers, architects, surveyors, developers, contractors and suppliers. Mr Alex Kwan, Chairman of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Hong Kong, was amongst the delegates. This was the first visit to Taiwan by a delegation from the construction and real estate related sectors from Hong Kong. But as the Chairman of the HKTDC Infrastructure Committee, I have, in the past year, received several delegations of our counterparts from Taiwan. During our stay, we visited two relevant government departments and met with Mr Chou Hsi-wei, Magistrate of Taipei County Government (台北縣周錫瑋縣長). We also organised a seminar to exchange views with representatives from related sectors in Taiwan. The delegation observed that there were enormous opportunities for Hong Kong companies in Taiwan, I am now organising a forum on infrastructure and real estate development of the four places (Hong Kong, Macau, the PRC and Taiwan) across the Taiwan Strait which will be held next year.

Disaster relief efforts for the PRC
In mid-September, I made a one-day visit to Guangzhou to meet the senior officials of both the Guangdong Provincial Department of Construction (廣東省建設廳) and Sichuan Post-quake Relief Working Team (四川地震災後工作隊) to discuss the progress in the Sichuan post-quake reconstruction efforts. The meeting also covered the relief plan for Si Shui (泗水), Guangdong, where a severe flood occurred earlier in the year.

Bills Committee on Arbitration Bill (《仲裁條例草案》委員會)
The Bills Committee held its third meeting on 5 October 2009 to meet deputations from different professional bodies. A general criticism was expressed at the meeting that the bill is far from perfect and it has not been drafted in the conventional manner. Worst still, the bill has been written purely from the perspective of arbitrators but the user-friendly aspects, which users like engineers, architects, etc are looking for, have been ignored. Without sending any representative to the meeting, the HKIE made a short written submission indicating that the Institution is supportive to the bill without any comments.