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Interview ︱ Shi Liqian urges not to "fight" the business community to denounce someone to simplify the housing problem

2021-03-28T23:16:30.351Z


With the imminent revision of the Hong Kong election system, the functions of the Election Committee will be greatly upgraded. Apart from the doubtful space for the democratic parties to participate in elections in the future, another concern lies in the role and status of the business community. Under the new electoral system, the Election Committee has increased by 300 seats


Political situation

Written by: Lin Jian

2021-03-29 07:00

Last update date: 2021-03-29 07:00

With the imminent revision of the Hong Kong election system, the functions of the Election Committee will be greatly upgraded. Apart from the doubtful space for the democratic parties to participate in elections in the future, another concern lies in the role and status of the business community.

Under the new electoral system, the Election Committee has increased by 300 seats in the New Territories. The Legislative Council has also "restored" the Election Committee and accounted for a "larger proportion." The argument that business power has been "diminished" has spread like wildfire.

It coincided that the Vice Premier of the State Council Han Zheng, who was in charge of Hong Kong and Macao affairs, specifically pointed out that Hong Kong’s land and housing problems were serious; members of the local traditional establishment have recently written serially bombarding the real estate industry.

The real estate industry, which has dominated Hong Kong’s political and economic lifeline for decades, has become the target of "swords"?

The Legislative Council Member of the Real Estate and Construction Sector, Shi Liqian, Secretary-General of the Pakatan Harapan Council, mentioned in an exclusive interview with "Hong Kong 01" that he would not worry about the business power being "ditched" in the future, because no matter how you exercise your vote, you will eventually It is for the overall interests of Hong Kong, "It will not just look at which sector has more power and which has less influence."

However, Shi Liqian believes that in the past, society simply blamed some people’s livelihood problems on the business community, especially the real estate industry, "but it is clear that some things do not necessarily have contradictions and conflicts." He also pointed out that it is not the 1950s, not the ones that are still "full of struggle and opposition." "Society.

He called on the society to rationally explore the way out of the land shortage problem.

Calling each other the same "Greater Hong Kong" service, do not worry about the influence of the business community being "ditched"

Shi Liqian said that for more than two decades after the reunification, the country hopes that "one country, two systems" will be successful and stable and far-reaching, but it is not necessarily expected that the world situation will undergo such a huge change in the past ten years.

He believes that no matter how much the electoral system and the proportion of the business sector are changed, everyone is serving the same "Greater Hong Kong". There is no question of whether "the country settles accounts with the business community": "Hong Kong is developing in freedom and democracy as a whole. On the right path. It shouldn’t be said that any group or industry is particularly affected. Everyone is (under) affected by Hong Kong’s stable and prosperous development. Only when there is a big Hong Kong can the industry. Reform the election (system) Later, it’s not just that you will worry about which industry has more power and which industry has less influence. This is not how you look at it."

Regarding the role of the real estate industry, the society has always questioned Hong Kong's excessive property prices and insufficient land supply, which are closely related to "real estate hegemony."

Wu Qiubei, chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions, wrote an article last week to criticize that the problem of land and housing in Hong Kong has become a disease in the hearts of the people because of the intertwined capital power and the secret assistance of the government. As a result, real estate hegemony promotes crony capitalism and hinders social development.

Responding to Wu Qiubei's article: It is not the "50s" now. Workers and the business community should not fight against each other

Shi Liqian pointed out that he had carefully read the article written by Wu Qiubei and respected the opinions of the other party: "The Federation of Trade Unions will have a certain status. They see from the struggle between workers and bosses, they have their views." But he believes that it should not be. Putting workers and businessmen in an inevitable antagonistic relationship, the current Hong Kong is not in the 1950s. It is a society full of struggles and antagonisms like the domestic land reform and the post-war Hong Kong, which is waiting to be rejuvenated. "The current society is the same as the previous society. In the struggle society of the 1950s (different), there is no such link now. Few employers exploited workers. Hong Kong’s success lies in capital and the labor of Hong Kong citizens. How could there be a struggle between workers and employers? It shouldn’t be this way, everyone should do it together.” He also mentioned that the real cause of the disparity between the rich and the poor in Hong Kong’s society is not the business sector, but the government policy mistakes, and the backward land policy has led to a serious shortage of public housing; transportation, elderly care, etc. It has nothing to do with people's livelihood needs.

Thinks that the land shortage is a "false dilemma" and does not need to target the business community

It’s just that no one can deny a phenomenon: Hong Kong’s past shortage of land and housing, and some of the government’s measures to alleviate the problem have failed or their effectiveness has been greatly reduced under the "concern" of some business circles. The Ridge Golf Course can only recover part of it, and the "Land Resumption Ordinance" has not been used to recover private idle agricultural land owned by large real estate developers.

Shi Liqian disagreed with the real estate developer's statement of "blocking the policy for the benefit of", and asked "why such opposition and division."

He pointed out that land and housing is a policy of overall social planning. There are many different ways to deal with it, and all roads lead to Rome. However, society often focuses on one or two aspects, uncovering a lot of work, and then forming a kind of "public interest." The "fake dilemma" of "vs business interests", but in fact, there is no inevitable conflict between the two: "(Fanling) golf course, although there is a membership system, the general public can also play. It is not that the government has no land available, why must it be collected? What about Fanling Course? There are obviously many golf courses in our country (Mainland China)."

On the contrary, Shi Liqian believes that there are some land options that are worth doing, but the government has not done it seriously, such as the development of the border areas of country parks: "As Mr. Wu (Qiu Bei) also said in the article, if you take 10% of the country park (development), ( The land) problem has been solved in one go. Why should the government protect protected areas from beginning to end?” He pointed out that in the “Land Debate” in 2018, the Land Supply Task Force had proposed “two pilot projects for the development of the border areas of country parks”. "The option of "developing other locations in the borders of country parks", but the government finally gave up because of too low support. Even the two country park border projects that the Housing Society is studying have to stop. I think this is a pity.

"The level of support is not the decision (factor) of the policy, but it depends on the needs of the society. Public opinion can change today and tomorrow." Shi Liqian said that temporary public sentiment is just one of many considerations, and government policies need to be compatible with the majority of people at the same time. To develop with interest, we must have courage and foresight.

However, the current government has failed to take into account all the useful options. As a result, it has led the people to dissatisfy with the business community, leading to social discord.

He pointed out that the social situation is one link after another. The deep-seated economic and people's livelihood issues are the result of the intersection of multiple factors and should not be simplistically targeted at the business community.

Shi Liqian pointed out that the development of land on the borders of country parks should continue, emphasizing that the problem of land shortage does not come from the business community.

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Refers to the effective land resumption method of the government "will the collection point be prevented?"

Since it is believed that the government should open up more land options, as long as it is beneficial to the society, it should rise to the challenge.

So, can the same logic be applied to the recovery of the developer's agricultural land?

At present, the four major real estate developers own about 1,000 hectares of idle private agricultural land in the New Territories. If the land use is changed, it will be a potential "fat pork" for developers, but the developed houses are likely to be out of touch with the affordability of the lower class.

"Hong Kong 01" and many concerned groups have been advocating that the government should use the "Land Resumption Ordinance" to directly resume the development of public housing after establishing "public uses".

Shi Liqian said that the "Land Resumption Ordinance" is the government's "sword of supremacy." As long as it complies with the laws and regulations, the government is determined to do so: "It is often said that the rich can "block the sun" so they can't get the land, so how can they not get it? Here? I used to work for the Land Development Corporation (the predecessor of the URA). Whoever is the most "evil", the government will take his land first. How can the (real estate developer) stop it? The regulations are always there, and the government decides whether to do it or not. He pointed out that the business community has always supported the construction of more public housing and HOS to meet people’s livelihood needs, and is even willing to donate land to develop public housing. However, even if the government does not recognize the "high land price policy", the actual implementation is to push up land prices. For example, If the land is sold for less than the price, the bid will be recovered instead.

During the parliamentary offensive and defensive battle of the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance in 2019, the establishment supporter Shi Liqian presided over the meeting, and conflicts broke out with the democrats.

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Unhappy at "Junior Brother" Hu Zhiwei's loss of freedom "The road is my own choice"

As the most senior member of the current Legislative Council (2000 to present, at the same time as Zhang Yuren of the Liberal Party), Shi Liqian has witnessed the changes in Hong Kong's political ecology over the past 20 years.

In the dispute over the amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance of the 2019 Legislative Council, because the establishment was dissatisfied with the election of the chairman of the Bills Committee chaired by the most senior member of the time, Tu Jinshen and Shi Liqian presided over the meeting as a "twins" incident.

On May 11, at the place where the meeting was held, the pro-democracy legislators broke out in quarrels and physical conflicts with the establishment. During this period, the chairman of the Democratic Party, Hu Zhiwei, walked in front of Shi Liqian, the "senior brother" of the Imperial College. Hong Kong "eternal sinners" has become a classic scene.

However, after nearly two years, the democrats have withdrawn from the parliament, and Hu Zhiwei has become one of the 47 defendants in the primary election.

Shi Liqian pointed out that different political philosophies do not mean that communication is impossible: "I have been a member of the Legislative Council for 21 years. I came from the establishment, and I am from the establishment to this day. But it does not mean that other legislators have different political philosophies and I cannot understand them. It’s a pity that (Hu Zhiwei) took a different path from him, but he can also be different. He is also a good person, a good friend, he is in jail today, of course I am a little unhappy, but the way everyone walks He chose it himself. Right or wrong, he has to bear the consequences.”

He pointed out that he would not comment specifically on the political ideas of others, but since he chose the road he took, he would suffer the consequences if he took the wrong path: "He (Hu Zhiwei) will go to jail today and accept the path he has taken, because society has Regular. They chose the wrong way. If they break the law, they will be controlled by the law.”

Finally, talking about the political situation, Shi Liqian pointed out that the social situation will continue to change. There are many reasons why some Hong Kong people are eager to leave, which may be political or economic factors, but believes that today Hong Kong people still have the freedom to choose to go or stay and freedom of belief. The freedom of choice at least shows that the social situation is still normal.

He pointed out that in the colonial era, Hong Kong was described as a "borrowed place" and was to accommodate people who had come from the country. However, after the reunification, more Hong Kong people will feel that Hong Kong is their place and they have a real sense of belonging. From this perspective, he will always regard Hong Kong as his home.

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01News

Shi Liqian Real Estate Hegemony Land Issues Land Debate Land Supply Resumption Regulations Housing Policy Wu Qiubei 01 Video My home

Source: hk1

All news articles on 2021-03-28

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