Building NMUT for “Study in Hong Kong”
The Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT) is a key component in Hong Kong’s integrated development of education, technology, and talent. I hope that the Chamber’s members can gain a deeper understanding of the development and immense potential of the Northern Metropolis (NM) through site visits and inspection activities.
The NM is the new engine driving Hong Kong’s future development. The National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly calls for accelerating the development of the NM. In fact, from the Government’s proposal in the Northern Metropolis Action Agenda outlining four major development zones — the “High-end Professional Services and Logistics Hub”, “Innovation and Technology Zone”, “Boundary Commerce and Industry Zone”, and “Blue-Green Recreation, Tourism and Ecological Circle” — to the gradual completion of various projects today, it fully demonstrates the current Government’s strong determination and efficiency in accelerating the development of the NM.
Fertile ground for talent cultivation
As a Legislative Council member, I believe that offering suggestions for the development of the NM must go beyond empty talk or paper planning. The Legislative Council has earlier conducted site visits to the Hung Shui Kiu / Ha Tsuen New Development Area in the western part of the NM, as well as the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone, to understand the latest progress on the ground. The Hong Kong Park in the Hetao area officially opened in December last year. The two major wet laboratories, primarily for biological and chemical research and development, have already attracted nearly 80 local, mainland, and overseas institutions and enterprises, with an occupancy rate approaching 90% — an encouraging achievement. Meanwhile, the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited is expected to commence operations in mid this year to take charge of developing and operating the 23-hectare industrial land in Hung Shui Kiu. This will help accelerate the introduction of industries into the NM.
The NMUT forms a crucial part of Hong Kong’s integrated development of education, technology, and talent. The three university town education sites in the Hung Shui Kiu / Ha Tsuen New Development Area, which the Government plans to launch this year, represent the first major step in the entire NMUT project. The Government has also increased the size of the university site in Hung Shui Kiu from the originally planned 5.2 hectares to 9 hectares. This adjustment clearly reflects the Government’s recognition of the spatial requirements for building and developing the university town, as well as its strong emphasis for the project. To establish the “Study in Hong Kong” brand and build a highland for gathering international high-end talent, the NMUT provides the ideal fertile soil.
Data shows that non-local students pursuing undergraduate and self-financing programs in Hong Kong are expected to generate approximately HKD15 billion in tuition fees for the eight UGC-funded universities each year. In addition, the living and consumption expenditure of these students will bring benefits to various local industries. For example, in 2021, international students contributed a net economic benefit of GBP25.9 billion to the United Kingdom. In the 2021/22 academic year, one million international students brought approximately USD33.8 billion in economic benefits to the United States. I firmly believe that, as an international metropolis where East meets West, Hong Kong has every capability to excel in its education industry and fully develop its study-abroad economy.
Improving living supporting facilities
The development of any university town cannot be limited to educational facilities alone; it must also include comprehensive living supporting facilities in the surrounding area. In terms of land use, greater flexibility and elasticity are required, and the construction of basic infrastructure must keep pace with the development of the university town. In fact, this principle applies not only to the NMUT, but to the overall development of the entire NM. The Government will enact dedicated legislation to accelerate the development of the NM and has already conducted public consultation.
The dedicated legislation currently covers three main objectives: streamlining planning and land administration procedures, accelerating construction works, and facilitating industrial operations. I hope the legislation can achieve the following: simplify urban planning procedures; expedite the compensation process for land resumption; facilitate the adoption of innovative construction technologies in projects to enhance efficiency; relax and streamline the requirements for applying for construction noise permits; and introduce measures to facilitate cross-boundary movement for the Hetao Hong Kong Park or designated areas in the NM.
The government has successively established exhibition halls in four new development areas of the NM — Kwu Tung North, Fanling North, Hung Shui Kiu / Ha Tsuen, and the Hetao area — to enable the public to conduct on-site inspections. I also hope that the Chamber’s members can take this opportunity to visit and inspect the area, thereby gaining a better understanding of the development and potential of the NM.
