Secretary for Home Affairs: Today, we will submit the North District Specific Legislation to the Legislative Council and commence consultation, hoping to pass it within this year.

The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, John Lee Ka-chiu, stated before attending the executive meeting that the government would submit the draft legislation for the Northern Metropolis Area to the Legislative Council today for consultation, hoping to pass the relevant legislation within this year. He reiterated that the 2025 Policy Address proposed to accelerate the development of the North Metropolis, and the submission of the draft legislation this time is a concrete step to implement his requirements. John Lee Ka-chiu pointed out that the Policy Address proposed the establishment of a "Northern Metropolis Development Committee" chaired by him, outlining three key areas of work: firstly, to loosen the planning and land procedures to allow flexible and dynamic land-use planning for the North Metropolis; secondly, to expedite project progress through various facilitation measures; and thirdly, to facilitate cross-border flows of people, goods, funds, and data to assist industries in setting up in the North Metropolis. He mentioned that the Hong Kong government would offer special incentive packages, including considerations for land prices and taxation, to develop the North Metropolis as a crucial new engine for overall economic development, facilitating the upgrading of industries in Hong Kong, as well as promoting breakthroughs in research and high-end manufacturing. He also emphasized that the "14th Five-Year Plan" mentions the acceleration of the construction of the North Metropolis in the Hong Kong and Macao special chapter, therefore, it should be carried out at full speed while ensuring the quality of any decisions or measures.