Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary for Administration Henry Tang and Vice Gov. Wan Qingliang of Guangdong Province co-chaired the 11th Working Meeting of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference in Hong Kong on June 23.
The two delegations discussed a number of major cooperation areas and prepared for the 11th Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference, to be co-chaired by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Donald Tsang and Guangdong Gov. Huang Huahua. Both sides agreed the plenary would be held in Guangzhou this summer, and reached consensus on the major cooperation areas as well as the plenary’s work plan.
“This is the first time Vice Gov. Wan and I co-chaired the working meeting,” said Mr. Tang. “I am glad that we had constructive and in-depth discussions to review the progress in our cooperation initiatives and to map out our priority tasks for the next stage. I look forward to working closely with Vice Gov. Wan to foster further cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong.”
At the meeting, the two sides also reviewed the progress and results of a number of cooperation initiatives from the joint conference’s 10th Working Meeting, including the following:
Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao have worked out a mutually agreeable option on the financing arrangement for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). The next stage is to assess and finalize the project’s feasibility report as soon as possible for submission to the Central Government. The three governments will continue to consider various options to speed up the bridge’s progress for early completion. The HKSAR Government secured funding approval earlier this month to commence pre-construction works for the HZMB and the preliminary design study for the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (HKBCF), so that the HKBCF and the HZMB Main Bridge could be completed concurrently.
The HKSAR Government has announced the Mass Transit Railway will conduct further planning and design of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. This phase is expected to finish this year; construction will begin in 2009 for completion in 2014-15. The governments are studying options to connect the tunnel of the Hong Kong section and the Shenzhen section at the boundary, as well as the necessary construction arrangements.
Hong Kong and Shenzhen have agreed in principle to adopt the proposals of the preliminary planning study on the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai control point. Both sides will consider developing a new land control point east of Shenzhen and Hong Kong to facilitate cross-boundary traffic. Under the people-oriented principle and with the aim of facilitating customs and inspection arrangements of both places, further study will be conducted on the layout and design of the proposed control point.
Hong Kong and Shenzhen also are looking into the feasibility and economic viability of connecting their airports by railway, in addition to other airport-associated business. The preliminary study on the railway connection is progressing well and is expected to finish this year. The two airports also have signed a framework agreement on passenger facilitation to provide greater convenience to transit passengers of both places.
Hong Kong and Guangdong will continue to actively implement the Pearl River Delta (PRD) Regional Air Quality Management Plan and the enhancement measures set out in the mid-term review report. Both sides are confident of achieving the jointly agreed emissions reduction targets by 2010. They also are exploring further strengthening and deepening of cooperation on environmental protection.
In April, the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Productivity Council formally launched a five-year Cleaner Production Partnership Program in collaboration with environmental technology service providers in Hong Kong and mainland China. The program aims to assist and encourage Hong Kong-owned factories in the PRD region to adopt cleaner production technologies and processes, to implement energy conservation and to reduce emission of air pollutants. Hong Kong and Guangdong are now encouraging Hong Kong-owned factories and environmental technology service providers in both places to actively participate in the program.
While expanding the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), Hong Kong and Guangdong will continue to exchange views and cooperate on the further implementation of CEPA so as to create business opportunities for both sides.
The HKSAR Government has been in close contact with the Guangdong provincial authorities through the Expert Group on the Restructuring and Upgrading of the Processing Trade and other groups. With the support of the Guangdong Government, the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Productivity Council jointly launched the Transform, Upgrade and Relocate for a New Horizon (TURN) initiative to provide assistance to Hong Kong-owned processing trade enterprises to upgrade and restructure their operations through such measures as seminars, on-site assessments and formulation of solutions for them.
The HKSAR Government and various municipalities in Guangdong have conducted recent joint visits overseas (including Singapore, Paris, Birmingham and Chicago) to promote the PRD and Pan-PRD areas and to launch joint investment promotional activities.
Both governments agreed to continue their cooperation on promoting quality and honest tours to Hong Kong and multi-destination-itinerary products. They also agreed to strengthen cooperation on regulating the tourism markets to combat unscrupulous practices of the trade as a result of “zero or negative fare,” with a view to promoting healthy development of both sides’ travel industries.
On the principle of joint study and joint development, the HKSAR and Shenzhen governments have decided to explore the feasibility of developing the Lok Ma Chau Loop and land uses for mutual benefit. To provide a basis for the comprehensive study, the two sides have separately commissioned public engagement exercises on future land uses for the area. Public forums and group discussions are being held to collect views on both sides until the end of August.
In addition, the HKSAR Government conducted exchanges on town planning and comprehensive regional transportation separately with the Zhongshan, Foshan and Huizhou municipal authorities during the first half of 2008.
Both Hong Kong and Guangdong will continue to maintain close cooperation and communication in other areas, including food safety, facilitating people and cargo flow, informatisation , intellectual-property rights, innovation and technology, culture, sports, education, notification of infectious diseases, social welfare and strategic studies.
Key officials attending the meeting were Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Frederick Ma, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury K.C. Chan, Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau and Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng.
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