ENG-2000 — Page 500

432

HISTORY

about 900 flight movements a week in scheduled and non-scheduled services between Hong Kong and 40 destinations in the Mainland.

The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation operates frequent train services from Hung Hom in Kowloon to the Mainland boundary at Lo Wu. It also operates intercity through train services between Hong Kong and cities in Guangdong, Shanghai and Beijing. Seven trains are available daily from Hung Hom to Guangzhou, three of which call at Dongguan, and one terminates at Zhaoqing via Foshan. Trains to Shanghai and Beijing operate on alternate days. Direct bus services. operate different routes to Guangdong and other parts of southern China. Daily ferry services operate to Guangzhou and other ports in South China.

To keep pace with the development, the Government places strong emphasis on improving and expanding infrastructure. As a result, Hong Kong has been transformed into a modern city with efficient road and rail links, tunnels and flyovers. New highways have opened up previously remote areas and a world-class international airport has been built at Chek Lap Kok. Current and planned projects including railways, bridges and tunnels greatly improve access to the New Territories, where about 40 per cent of Hong Kong's population lives in the nine new towns established to ease the pressure on residential and industrial space in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island.

The development of Hong Kong's economic base has enabled the public sector to increase spending on housing, education, social welfare and health over the years from $43.5 billion in 1990-91 to an estimated $162.5 billion in 2000-01.

Hong Kong's public housing programme started with an emergency measure to rehouse some 53 000 people made homeless overnight in a squatter fire on Christmas Day 1953. It has developed into a comprehensive programme that encompasses a wide range of rental and home ownership scheme flats with self-contained facilities. The programme is in line with a long-term strategy to produce more and better housing, to meet outstanding demand and to encourage home ownership in the community. The Hong Kong Housing Authority has primary responsibility for this programme. More than half of Hong Kong's families live in accommodation which they own.

Expenditure on education facilities and improvements has always been a major budget consideration. There are free and compulsory primary and junior secondary school places for every student up to the age of 15 years. In 2000, heavily subsidised Secondary 4 places are provided for about 85 per cent of the young people beyond the age of 15.

Government and non-governmental organisations have made major social welfare advances in the past decade, with expenditure increasing from $5.25 billion in 1990-91 to $30.35 billion during 2000-01. At the same time, social services have developed from providing emergency relief into today's diversified and comprehensive network.

Medical and health services are also undergoing continuous development programmes. In 2000, construction works for the Lai King Hospital were completed. Construction works for other major hospital projects, at a total estimated cost of $4 billion, would be completed over the next five years. The Department of Health also plans to provide two additional clinics or health centres over the next five years.