Potential of Hong Kong’s New Territories North-trade, Jasper Law

[Ko Chi Kit]

How potential of Hong Kong’s New Territories North can be unleashed to foster trade, tourism and job creation

• A holistic strategy is needed in place of the piecemeal planning and development proposals now on the table to minimise red tape and maximise effectiveness
• To promote urban tourism, a dedicated department should be set up to remove regulatory bottlenecks and enhance facilities

The Liantang Port/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point opened in August 2020. Plans to build a science park and industrial estates nearby would provide opportunities for companies looking to export “made in Hong Kong” goods to mainland China. Photo: SCMP
On May 12, lawmaker Edward Lau Kwok-fan moved a motion in the Legislative Council on driving the development of New Territories North with a port economy. In mid-April, the North District Council was briefed by the Civil Engineering and Development Department on a planning and engineering study for a 1,140-hectare New Territories North new town and Man Kam To logistics corridor. While it is encouraging to see many planning and development proposals on the table, they are rather piecemeal, with limited holistic consideration, specifically the development feasibility, supporting facilities and ways to cut red tape.

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Logistics should be about both “in” and “out”. The three ports at the border – Lo Wu, Heung Yuen Wai and Man Kam To – seem only to cater to importing goods from mainland China while the export arm has been neglected. Given the upcoming development of a science park and industrial estates near the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, companies could seize the opportunity to export “made in Hong Kong” goods to mainland China, creating more job opportunities in the district. The government must also consider inviting more large-scale cargo logistics companies to set up their offices there, releasing precious urban land. To overcome geographic constraints, these companies should take reference from their Chinese counterparts which have adopted smart logistics concepts.

While the 2030+ strategy highlights New Territories North’s potential for “eco/cultural/education-oriented recreation and tourism promotion”, in reality, various regulatory limitations are impediments. It is hard to apply for guest house and restaurant licences because conditions are more difficult to fulfil in the rural areas. Integrated support and promotion initiatives are lacking.
To address this, the government could start a dedicated department overseeing matters related to urban tourism, reviewing the licence application requirements specific to rural areas. The department should also be empowered financially and administratively to enhance hardware and facilities.

North district’s population is poised to double from the current 314,000 to over 730,000 upon the completion of new developments. Transportation and supporting infrastructure must keep up at a reasonable pace. There often is a wide gap between development and supporting infrastructure, due to uncoordinated government departments. Development of the frontier area will play a major role as our economy and society progress. Should the government remain sluggish and rigid in planning, blame might also be attracted from those outside Hong Kong.

Jasper Law, chairman, North district Council on https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/ar ... -unleashed 2021 May 24