[Thomas Lee/ Immediate Past President of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners]

One of the reasons why Qingsheng Station is important to the entire Hong Kong-style international community is that it seamlessly connects the station, businesses, and various public transportation systems.

I’m Thomas Lee, the Immediate Past President of The Hong Kong Institute of Planners. I have been working in the planning industry for almost 30 years.

In fact, the construction of Hong Kong-style community in Nansha is an intriguing beginning. To coordinate with the advancement of the international Hong Kong-style community, we adopted the characteristics of investment in Hong Kong. Under the coordination and leadership of Leung Chun-ying, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, we cooperated with the Nansha government. The whole process involved consulting on organization and providing planning advice to the Nansha government.

These works occupied our private time. While some people are interested in playing sports or dining out, my interest lies in participating in planning projects, and I am willing to do so for free. People in our industry always talk about transit-oriented development (TOD), especially the development of properties above rail transits, an area in which Hong Kong has abundant experience.

Hongkongers are proud of Hong Kong’s pedestrian bridges. Qingsheng Station is another core project we are focusing on. The properties above Qingsheng Station are developing rapidly, and it is expected that the system will be available for trial within one or two years. This includes a shopping mall and a group of buildings with office spaces and serviced residences on top. The one- to two-hour life circle we often mention in the Greater Bay Area is becoming a reality. For instance, it is achievable to live in West Kowloon and work in Nansha. I hope that Qingsheng Station will strengthen the connection between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, attracting more talents to live and work within the Greater Bay Area.

One of the most impressive projects is the Minxin Hong Kong School. I remember there were five designs provided to our planning group for consideration. We ultimately chose the current design, which turned out to be the work of He Jingtang. At the time, the selection process was very fair, and we had no idea who the designer was.

The happiest moment for me was during my last visit to the Minxin Hong Kong School. A little girl spoke to me, expressing how much she liked the design and planning of the school. She was very happy and thanked us for choosing this design. As a professional planner, the happiest thing is hearing that users have gained something valuable and had a pleasant experience. I think this is the greatest satisfaction.