Hong Kong's main industries include retail, services, tourism, and finance. With the recent boom in the real estate sector and rapid urbanization, along with an increasing number of people immigrating to Hong Kong, the construction industry has become increasingly important to alleviate the high-density population and crowded urban spaces. At the recent opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council Service Centre, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Chris Sun, stated on the 2nd that the construction industry is currently filled with job opportunities and is indeed in a golden era. In the next decade, it is expected that the total amount of public and private projects will remain at a high level, amounting to approximately HKD 200 billion or more.
Chris Sun stated that, firstly, multiple large-scale infrastructure projects are gradually commencing; in addition, this government is determined to increase housing supply and has set a target of providing 480,000 public and private residential units over the next ten years; furthermore, the government is planning to promote several new development area projects, expand Tung Chung New Town, and develop Lantau Island, among other initiatives, and is currently planning to construct seven new railway extensions.
To address the tight manpower situation in the construction industry, the government has received approval from the Legislative Council since 2010 for a total allocation of HKD 420 million to support the Construction Industry Council, enhance training for local construction personnel, and conduct promotional and publicity activities to attract more newcomers to the construction industry.