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HONG KONG, May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) held its sixth Hong Kong annual conference last Friday at Hong Kong's JW Marriot Hotel. The theme of the conference was "Integration: Where Do the Opportunities Lie?". Renowned international and local speakers came together to discuss the importance of integration in the development of Hong Kong, with a particular focus on integration with neighbouring regions and the role Hong Kong will play in this regional integration.
One of the key topics of discussion at the conference was "Social and economic challenges of integration". Mr George Hongchoy, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Link Management Limited and Mr Michael J Moir, Director of Property of The Hong Kong Jockey Club participated in a panel to discuss their core businesses in Hong Kong and their expansion beyond the border. They also discussed the changes to policy and procedure that expanding into markets outside of Hong Kong have entailed.
Mr Michael J Moir, Director of Property of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: "Integration of Hong Kong and the rest of the Pearl River Delta has always been inevitable, largely as a result of the region's geography. Further integration can create opportunities for businesses in Hong Kong to acquire land for growth in ways previously not possible. Ultimately, Hong Kong's relationship with neighbouring cities such as Guangzhou can certainly be a complementary one."
Being a member of RICS himself, Mr George Hongchoy, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Link Management Limited, encouraged RICS to take a proactive role for the betterment of Hong Kong. Mr Hongchoy mentioned: "RICS should deliver a positive outlook of what is going to happen and clear obstacles for the beneficial development of our region as a whole. It is important for us to do what we can for Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta."
Dr Daniel Ho, Chairman of RICS Hong Kong said: "Urban Development in Hong Kong is very important to Hong Kong's international image as a city and Hong Kong's competitiveness in the global arena. As an international city, Hong Kong should focus on integration with our neighbours while keeping an international perspective. Taking our limited resources into consideration, we should also consider how to create opportunities through cooperation with neighbouring cities as this regional integration occurs. Ultimately, we can make use of our strengths in this process for improved efficiency, while retaining unique to Hong Kong characteristics. "
