Read More
Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin stated on Saturday that the government's newly introduced five-year plan sets a target ratio of 4:3:3 for public rental housing, subsidized sale flats, and private housing over the next decade.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Addressing public debate on whether the proportion of subsidized housing should be increased, Ho explained that the target firmly establishes an overall homeownership rate of 60 percent, adding that there remains scope for future adjustments if public consensus supports expanding subsidized homeownership.
In response to concerns over building safety and recent concrete quality issues at a Tung Chung public housing site, Ho emphasized that the existing Housing Authority oversight mechanism effectively identified the defects, while the Independent Checking Unit has introduced six key reform directions to enhance project supervision.
Addressing why the inspection report for Wang Fuk Court has not been released, Ho noted that the building's structural condition is continuously being assessed during the ongoing rainy and typhoon season.
Monitoring equipment placed at the estate tracks daily fluctuations, and protective barriers were recently installed along adjacent roadways to prevent falling debris from endangering motorists should the building's condition deteriorate.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan announced that a cross-boundary yacht travel scheme allowing Guangdong yachts to sail south into Hong Kong waters is expected to launch as early as October.
To facilitate the initiative, the Marine Department established an examination center in Nansha, Guangzhou, to assess mainland captains on their knowledge of local waters. Additionally, under the Five-Year Plan's goal to expand Hong Kong's aviation network from 220 to 240 international destinations, Chan revealed that local airlines will launch direct flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, in January next year to strengthen connections across the Belt and Road region, Central Asia, South America, and Africa.
