III. Housing and Land Supply

Challenge, Unity and Choice

49.         Hong Kong is hilly and surrounded by water. Land is a scarce resource. Hong Kong people have levelled hills and reclaimed land from the sea to develop a cityscape dominated by skyscrapers and a financial centre. We have built bridges across valleys and tunnels under the sea, with highways criss-crossing Hong Kong. We have risen to the challenge and turned Hong Kong into a modern, safe, convenient and liveable metropolis. This is the remarkable success story of Hong Kong.

50.         We must turn a new chapter in our success story, despite the many difficulties that may lie ahead. We cannot afford to stand still in this highly competitive world. To stand still is to fall behind, and that could leave us out of the game altogether.

51.         In recent years, our urban development has taken a disturbing turn. All too often, there are wrangles over land use and infrastructure projects, leading to sluggish land development and housing shortage.

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