Xia Baolong, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, began a two day visit to Hong Kong on Tuesday to inspect progress with the Northern Metropolis and to tour various sites, including the Light Public Housing estate at Yau Pok Road.

Residents of the estate said Xia showed great concern for their living environment and was interested in how their accommodation compares with their previous homes. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing yin, who accompanied Xia during the visit, said he was pleased with the improvements in residents' living conditions and rental arrangements.

According to a statement released by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Monday, the visit by Xia, who is also director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, was arranged to enable him to “inspect Hong Kong's alignment with the National 15th Five Year Plan and the advancement of the Northern Metropolis”.

The Yau Pok Road estate was Xia's third stop on Tuesday. The large scale social housing project, which was built with standardized designs and is based on a modular integrated construction approach, became available for occupancy in March 2025 and is now fully occupied.

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After the visit, Ho told the media that she had explained to Xia how modular integrated construction — with components manufactured in factories in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities such as Zhuhai, Huizhou and Jiangmen — enabled the city to build and deliver 30,000 units quickly. She added that visitors were keen to see how the large factories, mechanized with robotics, help address Hong Kong's housing challenge.

The officials later visited a family of four, who were among the first residents to move into the estate. The family has lived there for over a year and is now preparing to move into conventional public housing.

The resident said Xia showed an interest in how their living conditions had improved. The family previously lived in a subdivided flat of about 120 square feet, and paid over HK$6,000 ($766) a month, including utilities. Now their costs have been greatly reduced, and their living environment has markedly improved, with better air quality, more space for the children to study and play, and better transport links.

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Xia arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday morning via the Shenzhen Bay Port at around 9 am and made his first stop at the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area Community Liaison Centre, which showcases the area's progress. Accompanied by senior officials, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, Xia then visited the site of the Northern Metropolis University Town in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen.

Later, after his visit to the Yau Pok Road estate, he went to the Microelectronics Centre in Yuen Long InnoPark, which facilitates joint research between Hong Kong and top international institutions and aims to become a global hub for microelectronics innovation and talent, supporting the development of third generation semiconductor products.

He later visited Kwu Chun Estate, which is still under construction and will, when completed, be one of the first public housing estates in the Kwu Tung North New Development Area in Sheung Shui. He also visited the Hong Kong park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

Contact the writer at gangwen@chinadailyhk,com