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EPILOGUE THE MILLENIU M CHALLENGE S In th e ne w millenium , th e physica l planne r o f Hong Kon g i s confronte d wit h two main challenges . The first challeng e is posed by the concep t of sustainabl e development. The government o f the Hong Kong Special Administrative Regio n (Hong Kon g SA R Government , 1998 ) ha s espouse d t o adop t 'sustainabl e development' a s the principle of policy and legislative development. This stanc e is suppose d t o resolv e no t onl y th e perennia l problem s o f immigratio n an d population growth , bu t als o a n increasin g regiona l ai r pollutio n crisis . Bot h sets of problems, however, canno t simpl y be solved by efforts tha t ar e confine d to th e territoria l boundarie s o f Hon g Kong . Cooperatio n wit h Mainlan d authorities i s a preconditio n fo r progres s i n sustainabl e developmen t o f Hon g Kong. Th e mismatc h an d shar p contras t betwee n th e restrictiv e buffe r zone s policies for the wetlands in Mai Po on the SA R side and the liberal developmen t policy for th e sam e wetland s habita t i n Fu Tia n o f Deep Bay o n the Shenzhe n side is a sa d exampl e wher e suc h cooperatio n ca n hardly be said t o exist. As a corollary o f th e sustainabl e developmen t policy , a majo r realignmen t o f ou r fossil fuel-base d urba n livin g t o on e relyin g o n cleane r coal-fire d electricit y (World Coal Institute, 2000) may be necessary. Within Hon g Kong, the deman d for development has als o threatened both the survival of ecological and cultura l heritage. The second challenge is posed by the restructuring o f Hong Kong's econom y responding t o th e globalizatio n o f the Chines e econom y an d th e revolutio n i n information technology . A majo r rearrangemen t i n th e divisio n o f labou r between Hon g Kon g an d th e res t o f Chin a i s takin g place . Mor e an d mor e Hong Kon g resident s hav e thei r consumption , investmen t an d retiremen t activities i n Mainlan d China . A t th e sam e time , ther e i s a continuou s inflo w 188฀Tow n฀Plannin g฀Practice :฀Context,฀Procedure s฀an d฀Statistic s฀ from th e Mainlan d specialist s an d tourist s int o Hon g Kon g fo r ne w jo b opportunities an d recreation . Th e impac t o f this exchang e o f economic flow s on lan d use s i s uncertain . A t th e sam e time , Hon g Kon g policy-maker s an d commercial leader s envisag e th e developmen t o f e-commerc e an d high-tec h industries a s th e mean s t o sustai n Hon g Kong' s competitiv e advantage . Th e spatial implication s o f thes e activitie s ar e als o uncertain . Uncertaint y call s for flexibility i n decision-making and innovative institutional designs . However , structural change s an d cyclica l adjustment s i n th e economy , an d thei r repercussions i n th e lan d market , hav e cease d t o b e a s flexibl e a s befor e because legislativ e regulation s an d formalizatio n o f politica l articulatio n d o not permi t improvise d responses , suc h a s squattin g an d othe r libera l us e o f land. Entrenche d interes t group s wil l als o promot e ne w la w an d policie s tha t reinforce thei r economi c positions. This means tha t very high formal standard s have t o b e me t wit h increasingl y constraine d force s o f the marke t an d muc h attenuated privat...

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