Imported Workers Needed For Mega Projects: Carrie Lam

Chief Executive Carrie Lam says workers will have to be brought in from outside Hong Kong if the mega development projects she has proposed are to be realised.

In an interview with NOW TV on Wednesday, Lam said importing workers would be "an unavoidable issue" when it comes to the Northern Metropolis and Lantau Tomorrow plans.

"[Importing labour] needs public discussion, if what people want to see is to implement these infrastructure projects and build more housing units as early as possible, [importing labour] is something unavoidable, something that needs everyone's discussion," she said.

Lam added, however, that the priority is always to ensure jobs for local people.

She also said that Beijing didn't "force her into coming up" with the metropolis plan, although mainland plans for the Greater Bay Area, as well as working meetings with Shenzhen, "indirectly" pointed to the need for the northern New Territories development.