Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday highlighted the pivotal role that Dongjiang water supply plays in the special administrative region’s socioeconomic development while delivering the keynote speech at the International Water Pioneers Summit 2025, and stressed the importance of further advancing water resource management through technologies.
The event, attended by nearly 400 global water experts and senior officials, marks the 60th anniversary of the Dongjiang-Shenzhen water supply project — a lifeline that has sustained the city’s growth for decades.
In his speech, Lee paid tribute to the project, an engineering marvel for which many geographical challenges had to be overcome to deliver water to the city from Dongguan’s Dongjiang River, located more than 50 kilometers away.
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“That meant building an 83-kilometer water channel, crossing half a dozen mountains. The water had to be lifted, via multi-stage pumping stations, from two meters above sea level to 46 meters at the highest point,” he said.
The project, launched on March 1, 1965, brought to an end Hong Kong’s chronic water shortages, having supplied more than 30 billion cubic meters of fresh water to the city by March, according to official data.
Lee thanked the central government, Guangdong province, and mainland compatriots for their unwavering support, calling the project a testament to Hong Kong’s strong ties with the mainland.
Echoing the summit’s theme, “Smart Water, High-Quality Development”, Lee outlined Hong Kong’s plans to integrate innovation and technology into water management.
READ MORE: Dongjiang water supply project pumps lifeblood into Hong Kong
“Last year, we set up a Digital Water Office to drive the digitalization of our water supply services,” he said, adding that the office promotes the use of smart devices, digital twin technology, and artificial intelligence to achieve full automation in the city’s waterworks.
Citing Hong Kong’s top 10 global infrastructure ranking in the IMD’s World Competitiveness Yearbook, Lee reaffirmed the city’s ambition to become an international infrastructure hub, serving both local residents and national strategies.
He also highlighted China’s leadership in water conservancy projects, and encouraged summit participants to explore collaboration opportunities.
READ MORE: Dancing water drops
The summit is part of a series of events celebrating the project’s 60th anniversary.
Also on Tuesday, the Dancing Water Drops exhibition opened to the public at Tamar Park and the Central and Western District Promenade, featuring water-drop-shaped sculptures of different sizes and designs to symbolize the vitality that Dongjiang’s supply of water brings to the city.
