Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn concluded her visit to Beijing today by attending a seminar and visiting urban renewal projects.

In the morning, Ms Linn led the study tour on national water infrastructure, culture and technology to attend a seminar.

She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the State Council's Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Department of Water Resources of Guangdong Province for making meticulous arrangements for the tour, enabling the younger generation and the engineering community to gain first-hand understanding of the country's tremendous achievements in water infrastructure, deepen their appreciation of the country's rich history and culture, and learn about the rapid technological advancement and modernisation of the country.

She firmly believed that the tour had strengthened the patriotic sentiments of Hong Kong's younger generation and enhanced the sense of mission among engineering professionals as builders of the country.

In the afternoon, Ms Linn visited urban renewal projects in Beijing to learn about the integration of the old and the new through the redevelopment of the local district of Zhonghai Daji Alley in Xicheng District; the enhancement of facilities in the old district and revitalisation of old buildings in Yaojiang Hutong; and the enhancement of the environment of the old district by improving the facades and spatial layout of old buildings in Xidan Beidajie.

She also viewed an in-situ redevelopment and relocation project at No. 8, Huabichang Hutong, to learn about the adoption of the concrete Modular Integrated Construction method, which significantly reduced the construction period of the project to three months. It was implemented by the property owners with subsidies and personal investment.