Hong Kong needs to rebuild its image of being clean and modern, Chief Secretary Donald Tsang said, adding that Team Clean will draw up short and long-term measures to achieve this objective.

Speaking after the team's first meeting today, Mr Tsang said keeping Hong Kong permanently clean is essential to revitalising its economy.

"If we cannot achieve this, investors and tourists will never come back," he stressed.

According to Mr Tsang, the team will draw up sustainable measures to keep Hong Kong clean and hygienic in the long term. It will also mobilise the whole community to clean up Hong Kong.

The task force will draw up a work plan of short-term measures in the coming three weeks and establish a series of medium-and-long-term initiatives over a period of three months.

It will also ask microbiologists, the architecture and business sectors, voluntary organisations and community leaders for their advice and support.

Admitting that the cleanliness of some private roads, alleys, and public housing estates is poor, Mr Tsang said the task force will carefully look into the Government's cleansing work, working procedures and related legislation.

The Government has reserved $1.5 billion in its $11.8 billion economic-relief package to support the team's work.