【2020 Policy Address】Vibrant Hong Kong Island South: Netizens Worry About Traffic Congestion Instead of Vibrancy

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor introduced the "Happy in the District" initiative in the new Policy Address, placing strong emphasis on district development. The support of Hong Kong citizens is crucial for district development and related work. However, big data analysis from the internet revealed that netizens were most concerned about the "Vibrant Hong Kong Island South" plan after the Policy Address was released. Regarding the development of Hong Kong Island South, netizens' top concern was the potential exacerbation of the district's "traffic problems," far outweighing their worries about "quality of life," "prices," and "collusion for benefits."  

18District Showdown：Outlying Islands District most debated, Southern District catches up at the last minute

Outlying Islands District most debated, Southern District catches up at the last minuteuMax Data Technology Co., Ltd. (uMax Data)Collecting netizens' comments from major social media and online platforms, the study employs an 18-district model to conduct an in-depth analysis of the relevant comments and compares the discussion intensity across districts before and after the release of the Policy Address. The findings are as follows:  

• Hottest Area - Islands DistrictThe "Tomorrow Lantau" project has been controversial since its proposal, making it an indispensable focal point in discussions on housing land and urban planning. A week before the official release of the Policy Address, discussions about the Islands District emerged, with media reports suggesting the government would restart the "Tomorrow Lantau" plan. After the report was officially published, in addition to the "Tomorrow Lantau" project, North Lantau also saw a series of development plans, such as the expansion of Tung Chung New Town, the extension of the Tung Chung Line, the third runway at the airport, and the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles. These projects extended earlier discussions, making the Islands District the hottest topic in Hong Kong.(See Figure 1)
• Catching Up in a Hurry—Southern District：The Southern District had minimal discussion before the release of the Policy Address, but its attention surged dramatically afterward. On the day of the announcement, its popularity far surpassed other districts, ranking second in overall engagement among all 18 districts. This reflects the strong appeal of the "Vibrant Hong Kong Island South" initiative proposed in the report, which captured significant online interest.(See Figure 2)
• Dark horse emerges—Yuen Long District：Although Yuen Long District is not among the key projects under the "Joy in Every District" initiative, it still ranked as the third most popular district out of the eighteen. Netizens often mention the Yuen Long Hung Shui Kiu Development Area when discussing new development zones in the report. Additionally, the government's plan to repurpose land at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point has also drawn significant attention.
• the region ranked last—Central and Western District：The conservation of Central and the Victoria Harbour waterfront are two key projects in the Happy District. Central is involved in both projects, yet its popularity ranking only places eleventh. Among the several areas within the Happy District, it holds the lowest popularity score, indicating that the related projects have failed to attract significant attention.

 Figure 1: Apart from the Lantau Tomorrow Vision project, North Lantau also has a series of development plans, making the Islands District's overall heat value the highest in Hong Kong. Figure 2: Discussions in the Southern District were very minimal before the release of the Policy Address, but they surged dramatically after its publication, with the district's heat value far surpassing that of other regions on the same day. Vibrant Southern Hong Kong Island Sparks District Issues Discussion, Netizens Fear "Overcrowding" Public support is a crucial factor in regional development, but development may also bring certain issues to the area, potentially causing dissatisfaction among residents.   uMax Data's analysis of big data from the internet reveals that "transportation issues" are the primary concern in most regions. Online opinions indicate that traffic in these areas has already reached saturation, and further development could exacerbate congestion problems. Among these concerns, the southern district has the highest volume of expressed worries about transportation, far surpassing concerns about "quality of life," "commodity prices," and "benefit transfers."(See Figures 3 and 4)  Figure 3: uMax Data employs an eighteen-district model to analyze big data from the internet, revealing that "transportation issues" are the primary concern in most areas. Among these, the Southern District has the highest total volume of related discussions. Figure 4: In discussions related to the Southern District, "traffic issues" topped the list of concerns, far surpassing worries about "quality of life," "prices," and "collusion of interests."  

Netizens concerned about Aberdeen Tunnel and South Island Line

Applying uMax Data's stakeholder model to focus on the public statements of district councilors and local groups provides deeper insight into the thoughts of Southern District residents. Among the relevant hot posts, three were from local district councilors, while one came from a community group—all of which garnered significant engagement from netizens. In their posts, all three councilors mentioned traffic issues in the Southern District, highlighting that congestion is already severe and expressing concerns that further development could "overwhelm the district with gridlock."(See Figure 5)Regarding netizens' comments, many are concerned about the congestion situation at Aberdeen Tunnel and the passenger capacity of the MTR South Island Line.   Apart from transportation, some district councilors also voiced their opinions on "quality of life." Councilor Chan Ping-yeung, citing residents' concerns, highlighted the potential negative impacts of turning the Southern District into a tourist area.   As for the issues of "price levels" and "benefit transfers," no district councilors have mentioned them yet; these arguments stem from online discussions in reply posts. Regarding "price levels," some netizens believe that developing the Southern District could lead to soaring prices, driving up property values and making homeownership even more difficult, even affecting rental prices. On the topic of "benefit transfers," most are concerned about the government gifting the Jumbo Floating Restaurant to Ocean Park, arguing that the government is providing excessive assistance to Ocean Park. Others view the project as just another "white elephant."     Figure 5: Southern District Councillors and local community groups raised concerns about traffic issues, stating that the area's roads are already heavily congested and expressing fears that further development would "overwhelm Southern District with gridlock."  

Summary

Hong Kong has been hit hard by the pandemic this year, with various economic indicators declining. Citizens are hoping the Policy Address can lead the economy out of its困境. The Chief Executive proposed a district-based approach, promoting regional development comprehensively in areas such as housing, transportation, tourism, and culture, which has garnered widespread public attention and discussion. However, regional development requires the support of local residents, making it crucial to understand public sentiment and key concerns. Typically, governments rely on consultation sessions to gauge public opinion, but these methods are not only costly but also limited in participant numbers, affecting the efficiency of opinion gathering.   ————————————————————– We provide precise data, AI Tools and Innovative Solutions! uMax Data Technology Limited, founded in Hong Kong in 2016, is an innovative technology company driven by artificial intelligence and data. uMax Data offers a variety of SaaS products and solutions, including Social Intelligence Platform (SIP), on-premises AI server, social listening and online alert systems, all-in-one intelligent research and event management platform, AI search engines, social intelligent customer service platforms, AI Agents and chatbots, brand public opinion insights, social media risk management, and multimodal data processing and digital upgrading solutions. These are collectively known as "Social Intelligence." These products not only enhance enterprise productivity and efficiency but also help businesses make more informed decisions. Want to analyze customer opinions through online discussions? Understand what netizens are thinking? Emailinfo@umaxdata.com immediately to request related case studies and insight reports.