Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Donald Tsang brought forward in Hong Kong Wednesday morning the concept of "Progressive Development", which will chart Hong Kong's sustainable, balanced and diversified development.
Tsang made the remarks in his Policy Address at the Legislative Council.
In the broadcast live address, Tsang said the concept comprises three aspects. The first aspect is to promote economic development through infrastructure projects.
"The large-scale infrastructure projects implemented in the1970s and 1990s provided the impetus for rapid growth. Apart from upgrading urban development, infrastructure projects bring about higher employment, wage increases and real economic benefits," Tsang explained. He said HKSAR government will push ahead with 10major infrastructure projects to achieve Hong Kong's economic development.
The second aspect is promoting community development through revitalization, Tsang said. The HKSAR government should attach importance to environmental protection and heritage conservation for further development, he added.
Apart from enacting legislation, the HKSAR government need to "engage the business sector and the public to enhance their awareness and rally their support" to protect the environment. At the same time, emphasis should be placed not only on the preservation of historic buildings, but also to revitalize these buildings in order that they may become an integral and lively part of the local community, Tsang said.
The third aspect is to promote social harmony under the concept of helping people to help themselves. Tsang said the role of the HKSAR government should be confined to creating the social conditions that help improve the livelihoods of people with low income.
To achieve this goal, he said the HKSAR government will promote infrastructure development, develop soft infrastructure on all fronts including expanding retraining programs to help the middleclass and the grassroots upgrade their skills, create employment opportunities at the community level through social enterprises, continue to invest heavily in education, and add value to social capital as the target of welfare services development in the future.
The annual address, titled "A New Direction for Hong Kong", is Tsang's first Policy Address since his reelection as HKSAR Chief Executive in March 2007.
In order to realize the concept of "Progressive Development", Tsang said, the HKSAR government should formulate policies conducive to sustainable development, the enterprises should shoulder social responsibility, and the individuals should move with the times.
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