What’s new: Starry Lee Wai-king, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, suggested in a Monday press conference that 20 square kilometers of undeveloped land, which is officially part of the mainland, be designated to Hong Kong in order to help ease the city’s housing shortage. The land in question is on an island neighboring the special administrative region.
The background: The proposal came ahead of the CPPCC's annual gathering in Beijing later this month. The proposed designated area for "Hong Kong communities" is located on Guishan Island in the Pearl River Estuary and is officially part of Zhuhai city.
Lee, also chairperson of the largest pro-establishment party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, added that the designated areas will also create jobs and facilities including schools, shopping malls and senior nursing homes.
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Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com)
