Sergio (Sergio Ermotti, Group CEO of UBS Group AG), Iqbal (Iqbal Khan, President, UBS Global Wealth Management), Amy (Amy Lo, Chairman, UBS Global Wealth Management Asia, Head and Chief Executive of UBS Hong Kong), ladies and gentlemen and media friends,

It gives me great pleasure to celebrate today the topping out of UBS' new office building, the new home of their Asia Pacific HQs, and an integral part of our mega development on top of the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus.

As I stand here, I am reminded of the year 2009 when we laid the last beam of the International Commerce Centre (ICC). Still reigning as the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, ICC has not only transformed the Hong Kong skyline by forming the iconic Victoria Harbour Gateway with our IFC across the harbour, but also become a unique commercial landmark of Hong Kong.

Throughout the years, Sun Hung Kai Properties has played an important role helping to support Hong Kong's economic growth. From the development of the IFC in the 1990s to the iconic ICC in the 2000s, we remain committed to Hong Kong. Now, with the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus Development, we are making our contribution to Hong Kong's moving forward.

We are deeply honoured by UBS' decision to choose this tower as their Asia Pacific regional headquarters. Initially committed to 250,000 square feet of office space, UBS' decision to occupy an entire tower, with about 460,000 square feet of office space, has filled us with joy and pride. This choice is a testimony of UBS' trust in our dedication to delivering world-class building quality and best-in-class holistic property management. It also reflects UBS's resolute confidence in the long-term prospects of Hong Kong as a leading international financial centre and wealth management and asset management centre.

Designed by the world renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus Development will offer 2.6 million square feet of premium office space, complemented by 600,000 square feet of retail space, 100,000 square feet of open space and is part of a 1.5-kilometre long green walkway linking up the mature community in Jordan with the West Kowloon waterfront.

Situated atop the only High Speed Rail Station in the city, the project enjoys unrivalled connectivity both within the city and to major mainland cities via the High Speed Rail. Furthermore, it offers convenient access to global destinations through the Airport Express line. During last month's Chinese New Year golden week, the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus emerged as the most popular border-crossing control point. The total number of passengers has exceeded its pre-pandemic levels. With more trains stepping up their services, I'm sure more business travellers would opt for this convenient and comfortable transport that arrives right in the heart of Hong Kong's CBD. I think that's also part of the reason for UBS in choosing this mega development as their regional HQs for its ready connection with the Greater Bay Area and the mainland, as well as the rest of the world.

Beyond grandeur, this development is set to become one of the most sustainable structures in the world. Featuring green and wellness elements, the project has already attained the highest ratings across major sustainable building pre-certification programmes, including LEED. And further recognition is expected to come. This adherence to rigorous standards and practices holds paramount importance, particularly for internationally renowned corporations like UBS. The building's sustainability performance would align well with UBS' global net-zero greenhouse mandate. Today's signing of the green lease stands as an affirmation of our shared dedication to sustainability.  
Riding on our strong project teams and trusted brand, Sun Hung Kai Properties has developed a number of iconic landmarks and commercial clusters in the city. Replicating our successful model of developing integrated landmarks in Hong Kong, the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus Development will help drive the growth of West Kowloon and Hong Kong. Alongside ICC and our two luxury hotels, which we plan to renovate, we will also build and operate the Artist Square Towers in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Together, the three transformative projects will form a unique commercial cluster providing nearly six million square feet of premium grade-A office space in West Kowloon, further boosting the area's status as a distinguished hub for commerce, culture, arts, retail, entertainment, and transportation. Not only for Hong Kong but also for the Greater Bay Area. We believe the cluster together with the mall ELEMENTS, our two luxury hotels and our future mall on top of the High Speed Railway Station will leverage its unrivalled competitive edge to become a major commercial hub in the Greater Bay Area which boasts a population of over 86 million with a GDP of over 13.6 trillion yuan RMB in 2023.
As we near the completion of this mega development, we mark another milestone with our good friends at UBS in our endeavor to elevate the status of West Kowloon as a thriving business and cultural hub, which will further cement Hong Kong's status as world-class financial, wealth management and asset management hub. Let us celebrate this momentous occasion and embrace the promising future that lies ahead.

Thank you.

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Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. published this content on 27 March 2024 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 27 March 2024 08:38:04 UTC.