What good does it do to Hong Kong to block government projects and waste valuable time?

Today, I went to Huizhou to attend the annual Hong Kong-Pearl River Delta Industrial and Commercial Circle Goodwill Gathering. I also took the opportunity to go to the boundary area to inspect the site of the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (BCP) project.

Apart from the BCP facilities on the Hong Kong side, the project also includes a connecting road about 11 kilometres long and a vehicular tunnel about 4.5kilometre in length, which will be the longest vehicular tunnel in Hong Kong. Site formation and the construction works of the southern section of the connecting road commenced last year. The new BCP will link with the Shenzhen Eastern Corridor. Upon completion of the project, it will take only one hour and 20 minutes to drive to Huizhou from Fanling. As the transport time for passengers and goods between Hong Kong and eastern Shenzhen, eastern Guangdong, Fujian and southern Jiangxi will be shortened significantly, Hong Kong's logistics sector and the economy as a whole stand to benefit a lot from this project.

This BCP project was announced six years ago, followed by extensive discussion and consultation. After funding approval was given by the Legislative Council (LegCo) in the following year, works commenced in succession for completion four years from now.

Because of the recent surge in construction prices and other factors, the Government has to seek LegCo's approval for an increase in the funding for the project. Unfortunately, the proposal has been blocked by some LegCo Members. At the meeting of the Public Works Sub-committee last week, Members in the pan-democratic camp moved and supported a motion to adjourn discussion on the funding proposal in a bid to delay its processing.

To maintain Hong Kong's economic competitiveness, we have to invest in infrastructure in a timely manner. As one of the major tenders for the Liantang project will expire on December 31 this year, we may need to invite tenders all over again if the funding proposal is not approved by that date. In that case, the project would be further delayed and the project prices would further escalate.

Who are really working for the interest of the public and who are raising objections and questions simply for the sake of doing so? I will leave it to the public to decide.

Regions neighbouring Hong Kong are developing rapidly. If we do not have the necessary BCP facilities well in place, we will lag behind and lose employment opportunities.

I sincerely appeal to LegCo Members in the pan-democratic camp to stop their so-called "non-co-operation movement".

Video of the Chief Executive inspecting the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point project

December 5, 2014