Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan, together with the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene, concluded their visit to Jiangsu today by touring the Hongmiao area of Nanjing's Xuanwu District.

The delegation visited the area in the morning to learn about the innovative approach taken by urban management and law enforcement teams to the governance of city blocks. The approach involves co-ordination between property management and environmental hygiene personnel and tackling violations such as shop front extensions, accumulation of miscellaneous articles, and failure in waste-sorting, at source.

Mr Tse remarked that the Hongmiao area is a renowned food street, and that the introduction of the new approach has significantly improved its environment.

He said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is actively addressing similar issues, aiming to maintain a favourable business environment for merchants while ensuring environmental hygiene.

He said the visit would be valuable as the Hong Kong SAR Government seeks to maintain a balance between maintaining the vitality of districts, environmental hygiene and the management of pedestrian flows.