CB(1)660/08-09(01)
Legislative Council Panel on Development
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Second Stage Work In Support of Reconstruction in the Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas
Introduction This information paper informs Members of the latest progress regarding the reconstruction support work of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and, building upon the basis of the first stage reconstruction support work, the HKSAR Government's plan to propose to the Finance Committee (FC) of the Legislative Council (LegCo) to increase the earlier approved commitment of HK$2 billion by HK$4 billion, making a total of HK$6 billion, to be injected into the Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in the Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas (the Fund) to support HKSAR's second stage reconstruction support work. The need for creation of further funding commitment and injection for the later stage will depend on the needs of the quake-stricken areas, utilisation of the Fund, amount of donations from the public, and the progress and needs of HKSAR's reconstruction support work.
Progress Report of HKSAR's Reconstruction Support Work 2. We have undertaken to submit regular reports to the LegCo on the latest progress of the HKSAR's reconstruction support work and the utilisation of the Fund. To this end, we have prepared a progress report (the Report) (see Annex to the Chinese version) for Members' perusal. The report covers the latest progress of the HKSAR's reconstruction support work, details of the second stage funding proposal and the relevant considerations.
Both the report and its annexes are in Chinese only.
Progress of HKSAR's First Stage Reconstruction Support Work
Damage to the Sichuan Quake-stricken Areas 3. The massive earthquake measuring 8.0 on Richter scale that hit Wenchuan on 12 May 2008 had affected 417 counties/districts/county cities in ten provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities directly under the Central Government, including Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Chongqing and Yunnan. The quake-stricken area covered some 500 000 km2 with millions left homeless. As at 25 August 2008, 69 226 people were killed, 374 643 injured and 17 923 missing. Given the wide expanse of the quake-stricken areas, huge disaster-affected population, complex natural conditions, and serious damage of infrastructure, the post-quake restoration and reconstruction mission is arduous and urgent. 4. Damage to Sichuan Province is particularly serious, with a total of ten seriously hard-hit counties/county cities/districts, 29 hard-hit counties/county cities/districts and 100 general quake-damaged areas. The Sichuan Province has an area of 485 000 km2. The quake-stricken area in the province amounts to 250 000 km2, of which 100 000 km2 was seriously hard-hit or hard-hit. Among the total population of some 87.7 million, more than 29.83 million people were affected to different degrees. Countless houses, infrastructural facilities as well as community facilities such as schools and hospitals were severely damaged1. Priority and Scope of Reconstruction 5. Post-quake reconstruction is an arduous task and takes at least several years to complete. According to the "State Council Circular on the Overall Planning for Post-Wenchuan Earthquake Restoration and Reconstruction" (Reconstruction Overall Planning) issued by the State Council on 19 September 2008, the overall objective is to complete the

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