https://www.scmp.com/rss/328140/feed Ryan Ip is the vice-president of Our Hong Kong Foundation and executive director of its Public Policy Institute. He serves on the boards of various statutory bodies and government committees, and is also an independent non-executive director of a listed property developer. He holds a master of science degree in economics from the London School of Economics and is a chartered surveyor. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Wenhui Jia Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Wenhui Jia For a Chinese enterprise venturing overseas, the first decision is often not which market to enter, but which city to launch from. And that choice increasingly narrows to Hong Kong or Singapore. Both offer deep capital markets, common law systems and Chinese-speaking talent. Both want to be the trusted first stop. But a gap has emerged – not in what the two cities offer on paper, but in how they treat the enterprises they both want. What does a “launch pad” deliver? It is where a Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350196/how-hong-kong-can-beat-singapore-launch-pad-chinese-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350196/how-hong-kong-can-beat-singapore-launch-pad-chinese-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Ryan Ip,David Yu Chak-wai Ryan Ip,David Yu Chak-wai The war in Iran, culminating in the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has again exposed the world’s energy and maritime sector to acute vulnerabilities. The spike in oil prices and surging freight rates may grab headlines, but beneath these shocks lie fundamental questions about Asia’s – and Hong Kong’s – energy security, the resilience of shipping risk management and the urgent need to transform our maritime industry for a greener future. The Strait of Hormuz is not just a geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346529/iran-war-shows-urgency-hong-kongs-green-shipping-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346529/iran-war-shows-urgency-hong-kongs-green-shipping-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Moon Kok Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Moon Kok There was a time when landing in Hong Kong felt like arriving in the future. In 1998, the sleek Airport Express glided out of Chek Lap Kok, whisking passengers directly to the heart of the city. It was a symbol of modernity and efficiency, placing Hong Kong among a handful of global cities with a dedicated airport rail link. We were pioneers and justifiably proud. That pride now risks becoming a relic. While the Airport Express was once a point of differentiation, it is now becoming a point of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334655/why-hong-kong-needs-inter-airport-rail-link-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334655/why-hong-kong-needs-inter-airport-rail-link-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Ryan Ip,Jessie Zhang,Curtis Lam Ryan Ip,Jessie Zhang,Curtis Lam Little needs to be said about how Hong Kong’s healthcare system faces growing pressure as our population ages. The wait for a care home space is as long as 19 months and expected to worsen. In recent years, promoting care options elsewhere in the Greater Bay Area has become an alternative to expanding Hong Kong’s care home capacity. On April 30, the government announced the launch of social and care support services under the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong to help senior citizens... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3309310/ageing-hong-kong-needs-homes-we-can-grow-old?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3309310/ageing-hong-kong-needs-homes-we-can-grow-old?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s budget proposes to accelerate the construction of the Northern Metropolis. Some people have suggested a Northern Metropolis development authority be established, arguing that high-level leadership could speed things up. But how exactly would such an authority expedite development? What considerations are involved? More importantly, how would it attract investment and address funding shortages in an era of geopolitical tensions and economic downturns? In recent years, the government... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3305132/why-decision-northern-metropolis-authority-cant-be-rushed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3305132/why-decision-northern-metropolis-authority-cant-be-rushed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong has passed a law allowing people to reject certain end-of-life care treatments through advanced medical directives, a long-awaited milestone for many. The Advance Decision on Life-sustaining Treatment Bill was given the nod in the Legislative Council on November 20. But there are still those who feel emotionally unprepared for the law, which provides a transitional period of 18 months for medical institutions to revise guidelines and retrain staff. For many Hongkongers, making or... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3288770/hong-kong-must-break-taboos-around-end-life-care-and-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3288770/hong-kong-must-break-taboos-around-end-life-care-and-death?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Endowed with abundant natural scenery, such as pristine beaches and majestic mountains, South Lantau is earmarked by the government to be developed for ecotourism and sustainable recreation. The two-month public consultation for the South Lantau Eco-recreation Corridor ended in late July. Opinion is divided between different stakeholders, including Legislative Council members, conservationists and other concerned local groups. On the surface, this presents an impossible task for the government.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3274308/hong-kong-should-approach-south-lantau-project-purpose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3274308/hong-kong-should-approach-south-lantau-project-purpose?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Aug 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Since Hong Kong scrapped its property cooling measures in February, two contrasting situations have emerged in the housing market. Private market transactions have surged, with new projects oversubscribed, while the subsidised housing market has seen sluggish sales, with transactions cancelled and deposits forfeited. Some put this down to the improved affordability of private homes after the price index fell in March by 23 per cent from the record high in September 2021, causing more buyers to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3264607/why-subsidised-home-sales-are-sluggish-despite-overwhelming-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3264607/why-subsidised-home-sales-are-sluggish-despite-overwhelming-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 May 2024 21:30:10 +0000 The FIA World Rallycross Championship last November reminded us that tight event schedules are an organiser’s nightmare. Given the impossible mission to build the street circuit within two weeks, when it usually took longer in other cities, the organiser faced construction delays that meant the planned 1.225km track could not be completed in time and had to be shortened. Before that, with less than a month to organise the Wan Chai “waterfront carnival” of the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3253014/hong-kong-can-deliver-mega-events-government-must-step?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3253014/hong-kong-can-deliver-mega-events-government-must-step?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Feb 2024 01:30:10 +0000 In the run-up to his budget speech this month, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po forecast a deficit of more than HK$110 billion for the 2023-24 financial year. Nevertheless, he reiterated the government’s commitment to land creation despite the recent fluctuations in the property market. Market sentiment, however, remains sluggish. Under a land exchange offer, the government was in talks with the owners of six private sites in the Kwu Tung North and Fanling North new development areas, but no... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3251807/hong-kong-land-and-housing-supply-must-flow-even-economic-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3251807/hong-kong-land-and-housing-supply-must-flow-even-economic-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Feb 2024 01:30:20 +0000 Housing remained the top priority in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s second policy address, delivered last month; he elaborated on his housing policies at great length. Besides building on the initiatives introduced last year, there were also new measures responding to the latest market developments. While it was encouraging to see signs of the housing supply shortfall reversing, this is merely the first step in solving the long-standing issues of limited living space and unaffordable... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240705/solve-hong-kongs-housing-predicament-separate-market-permanent-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240705/solve-hong-kongs-housing-predicament-separate-market-permanent-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 01:30:08 +0000 Have you ever thought about where you would live in your old age? Some might picture themselves moving in with family or living in residential care homes for the elderly. But what if these options are not your first choice, no longer feasible or you simply want to maintain your independence? In such instances, what alternatives are available to you? Emerging trends, including changes in family support owing to low fertility rates and the exodus of young families, suggest that living with family... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237528/hong-kongs-elderly-need-housing-options-beyond-care-homes-and-living-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3237528/hong-kongs-elderly-need-housing-options-beyond-care-homes-and-living-family?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Oct 2023 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s economy has undergone significant structural changes since the early 1980s, becoming one of the world’s most service-oriented economies. While the service sector accounted for more than 93 per cent of gross domestic product in 2020, the share of manufacturing stood at a mere 1 per cent, a far cry from the 23 per cent recorded in 1980. The significant decline in manufacturing and heavy reliance on the service sector has led to an imbalance in Hong Kong’s industrial structure and a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233331/hong-kong-needs-new-economic-thinking-match-san-tin-technopoles-promise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233331/hong-kong-needs-new-economic-thinking-match-san-tin-technopoles-promise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:15:09 +0000 The recent launch of Hong Kong’s first hotel-to-youth-hostel conversion project has returned attention to the hot topic of young people’s housing needs. Today, fewer young people are able to own a home due to skyrocketing housing prices and stagnating income mobility. With their hopes of home ownership fading as upward mobility deteriorates, many feel frustrated and defeated. The sense of powerlessness has led to a “let it be” lifestyle, with many taking to “lying flat” and rejecting the rat... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216108/reform-subsidised-housing-market-give-young-people-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216108/reform-subsidised-housing-market-give-young-people-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Apr 2023 00:15:17 +0000 The Hong Kong government told lawmakers last month that the latest estimate for building artificial islands off Lantau had risen to HK$580 billion (US$74 billion), up from HK$500 billion. Society remains divided over the project, and it is hard to draw a definite conclusion about whether it would really be worth the huge cost. In a bid to assess the benefits more accurately, it could help to assess three major questions raised by the public about the proposal. First, is reclamation necessary?... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3208205/hk580-billion-cost-creating-artificial-islands-lantau-worth-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3208205/hk580-billion-cost-creating-artificial-islands-lantau-worth-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:15:09 +0000 The youth housing problem has been a catalyst of Hong Kong’s deep-seated conflicts. As housing prices hit new highs over the past two decades, outpacing young people’s income growth, home ownership has become increasingly elusive. At Hong Kong’s 25th anniversary celebrations, President Xi Jinping highlighted four difficulties faced by the city’s young people, namely studies, employment, entrepreneurship and home ownership, and called for more opportunities to be created for their development and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3201905/mend-broken-housing-ladder-let-more-young-people-buy-subsidised-resale-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3201905/mend-broken-housing-ladder-let-more-young-people-buy-subsidised-resale-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Dec 2022 00:15:07 +0000 After five waves of Covid-19, Hong Kong’s progress in public housing construction has severely slowed down. The Housing Authority announced in early 2022 that the average waiting time for public rental housing had reached six years. The news did not stir much public interest at the time, with our city focused on fighting the coronavirus. However, the issue became more pressing when the figure reached another record high in the spring. With the worst of the pandemic over, many Hongkongers expect... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3182759/how-hong-kong-can-untangle-gordian-knot-public-housing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3182759/how-hong-kong-can-untangle-gordian-knot-public-housing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jun 2022 01:00:25 +0000 The Airport Authority announced the completion of tarmac works on the third runway at Hong Kong International Airport last month. This large-scale reclamation project involved 650 hectares of land but only took five years, highlighting the efficiency of reclamation as a land development option. Not only does the three-runway system strengthen Hong Kong’s status as a leading aviation hub, it has also boosted the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, which has been criticised over the large scale of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3153616/how-hong-kongs-third-runway-reclamation-success-can-aid-citys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3153616/how-hong-kongs-third-runway-reclamation-success-can-aid-citys?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Oct 2021 22:45:12 +0000 A person’s living environment plays a pivotal role in their physical and mental well-being. In Hong Kong, despite the economic prosperity the city has enjoyed over the past few decades, a segment of society may feel they have not benefited, especially in terms of housing and living space. On its current trajectory for housing development, Hong Kong will soon be caught in a situation of “triple lows”, in which land supply, new housing numbers and quality of life will all deteriorate. Fewer – and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3133072/hong-kongs-housing-crisis-fewer-and-smaller-flats-quality-life-will?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3133072/hong-kongs-housing-crisis-fewer-and-smaller-flats-quality-life-will?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 May 2021 22:45:10 +0000 The land supply shortage has long been a major cause of Hong Kong’s housing problems. And the government’s latest land supply programme for private housing shows that the authorities seem to be running out of options. Of particular concern is the low proportion of government land, large sites, and spade-ready sites in the line-up. First, this year’s programme lists only 15 government plots which can only supply 6,000 flats, the lowest in 11 years, and these units make up only 36 per cent of the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3126766/land-housing-short-supply-and-government-running-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3126766/land-housing-short-supply-and-government-running-out?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Mar 2021 01:15:07 +0000 Although Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s policy address has been postponed, discussions on how to increase Hong Kong’s land supply remain a hot topic, particularly on the Lantau Tomorrow Vision project. Given the concern over the project’s financial sustainability, it is important to analyse different development options. One may ask whether the Lantau Tomorrow Vision is necessary. We believe it is. The project is crucial to resolving Hong Kong’s land shortage. If factors including... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3106668/six-ways-hong-kong-can-finance-crucial-lantau-tomorrow-vision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3106668/six-ways-hong-kong-can-finance-crucial-lantau-tomorrow-vision?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Oct 2020 01:30:08 +0000 While the world economic outlook remains uncertain, one thing for certain is that the Covid-19 pandemic has fuelled the growth of the stay-at-home economy. From groceries to clothes, more shoppers now realise these can all be delivered with a few clicks of a mouse. As e-commerce gains momentum, this also presents enormous opportunities for the logistics industry. However, Hong Kong, despite being a renowned trading and logistics hub, may miss out, given the shortage of modern facilities. As... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3096360/hong-kong-needs-industrial-policy-keep-rapidly-evolving-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3096360/hong-kong-needs-industrial-policy-keep-rapidly-evolving-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Aug 2020 01:15:17 +0000 Public housing is an important part of Hong Kong’s social welfare net. But development delays have taken a toll on the supply of public housing, pushing the queue for public rental housing to a record high and spawning an overwhelming demand for Home Ownership Scheme flats. Our Hong Kong Foundation recently published a report titled “Cutting Red Tape to Catch Up with Shortfalls in Land and Housing Supply”. It warns of the severe undersupply in public housing. Over the past seven years, a deficit... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3084260/hong-kong-must-cut-red-tape-and-start-churning-out-public-housing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3084260/hong-kong-must-cut-red-tape-and-start-churning-out-public-housing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2020 22:30:10 +0000 Hong Kong maintains its position as the world’s most expensive housing market, according to property giant CBRE’s latest global life report. However, this is not the worst yet, as there is a continual depletion of the city’s land bank, meaning both private and public housing supply will plummet in the near future. What Hong Kong needs in order to overcome this challenge is not just large-scale solutions such as the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, but expedient ones that can bring immediate and impactful... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/3011817/hong-kongs-housing-shortfall-why-worst-yet-come?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/3011817/hong-kongs-housing-shortfall-why-worst-yet-come?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 May 2019 14:06:01 +0000 Two of the most important sources for Hong Kong’s medium to long-term housing supply are the Kwu Tung North and Fanling North New Development Areas (NDAs) in the northeast New Territories, especially for public housing. These areas are also key to the government’s multi-pronged approach to increasing land supply. The Development Bureau recently submitted an application to the Legislative Council’s panel on development for HK$46.9 billion (US$6 billion) of funding for the main work, detailed... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2188372/solving-hong-kongs-chronic-housing-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2188372/solving-hong-kongs-chronic-housing-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Mar 2019 13:31:28 +0000 Many grass-roots citizens in the affluent city of Hong Kong are struggling in shoebox-like living conditions. Queuing for public housing is like waiting for Godot – it takes 5½ years on average and that figure is growing, while the number of households living in inadequate housing, including subdivided flats, has risen to a staggering 116,600. The lag in the supply of public housing is one of the main culprits. What is worrisome is that the lag in public housing supply is getting worse. It is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2186663/if-hong-kongs-housing-targets-seem-too-good-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2186663/if-hong-kongs-housing-targets-seem-too-good-be?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Feb 2019 01:04:03 +0000 The Task Force on Land Supply has finally published its report following a five-month public engagement exercise, dubbed the “big debate” by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor. The report has proposed a multipronged approach to increase land supply and identified eight short-, medium- and long-term options. However, in the near future, Hong Kong’s quest for solutions to its acute land shortage will face a dead end. The three short-to-medium-term options listed by the task force, when... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2181493/why-hong-kongs-land-crisis-cannot-be-fixed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2181493/why-hong-kongs-land-crisis-cannot-be-fixed-quickly?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jan 2019 22:30:00 +0000 Hong Kong has been plunged into the depths of a land and housing calamity. Citizens are living in increasingly expensive and cramped conditions. This year, Hong Kong was crowned the city with the least affordable home prices in the world for the eighth consecutive year in an international survey. An average household needs to save 19.4 years’ worth of income without other expenses to buy a flat. Even for low-income households, the average waiting time for public housing has risen to five years... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2167023/island-hope-crowded-cramped-hong-kong-huge-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2167023/island-hope-crowded-cramped-hong-kong-huge-new?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Oct 2018 04:00:30 +0000 In our big debate on where to find land in Hong Kong for affordable housing, some commentators have argued that the government should compulsorily resume large plots of private agricultural land in the New Territories, using the powers vested in it by the Lands Resumption Ordinance. They say the legislation’s sweeping powers will ensure expediency, legal clarity and a low risk of litigation. However, these commentators have overlooked the nuances of this piece of legislation. The ordinance is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2157744/basic-law-means-land-resumption-new-territories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2157744/basic-law-means-land-resumption-new-territories?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:03:39 +0000