Integration of Hong Kong's Economy with Mainland's in Progress

Home>>Business

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 26, 2002

Integration of Hong Kong's Economy with Mainland's in Progress

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

"If the State Planning Commission will take part in future planning of infrastructure linking Hong Kong and Guangdong Province, there will be greater compatibility between the two places," said Donald Tsang, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's administrative secretary Tuesday.

Tsang made the statement in Guangdong Province during his second visit within this month to discuss with mainland officials about perfecting cross-border infrastructure.

Tsang's visits came in the wake of a report issued recently by the HKSAR's Commission on Strategic Development - an advisory body to the HKSAR government, urging greater and more effective economic integration with the mainland economy for the continued prosperity of Hong Kong.

The report titled "Bringing the Vision to Life: Hong Kong's Long-Term Development Needs and Goals" noted that the linkage with mainland and the Zhujiang Delta (Pearl River Delta) region is one of the key strategies for the long term development of HKSAR.

And in a book to be published by the Chinese University Press later this year, the new title "Resource Management, Urbanization and Governance in Hong Kong and the Zhujiang Delta" also proposes analytical models that are being urgently sought to make sense of the developments of the Zhujiang Delta region and its close relationship with Hong Kong, said Wong Kwan Yiu, one of the editors of the book.

Wong stressed, "There are emerging issues and concerns of effective governance and sustainability that will affect the further development and prosperity of the region."

No matter what models are to be adopted, new ones must be sought, according to Lu Ruihua, governor of Guangdong Province.

Lu told reporters Tuesday after meeting with Tsang that models that will enhance closer cooperation are needed, as he praised Hong Kong's provision of huge support to the province's past development.

"Cooperation between enterprises on the two sides should be strengthened and outgrow the past concepts of Guangdong Province being the place for back offices of Hong Kong enterprises or the center for value-added manufacturing, and Hong Kong, an entrepot," he said.

Tsang's travel is a sign that the governments on both sides have expedited discussions on infrastructure issues to break the barriers between the two sides and explore new models for cooperation.

This is particularly important after many Hong Kong people have expressed wishes to work or study on the mainland, fueling the demand for more efficient cross-border immigration and transport facilities.

According to the latest survey findings released by the Department of Educational Administration and Policy of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, up to 44 percent of the Hong Kong people are willing to work or already working on the mainland.

Within the 44 percent of the 1,022 people surveyed, 80 percent said they would study China's official language of Putonghua, law and relevant professional studies.

Another survey conducted earlier by the Quality Evaluation Center of the City University of Hong Kong has revealed that 20 percent surveyed would choose to work in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, as would 16 percent in Guangdong Province.

The HKSAR government information services said Tsang will be in Guangdong Province until March 27 to meet with Zhang Guobao, vice-chairman of the State Development Planning Commission at the invitation of Zhang.

The discussion will finish off just before the Easter holiday period from March 27 through to April 8, when an estimated 4.41 million people will cross the land boundary checkpoints to and from the mainland - an increase of 8.5 percent as compared with the same period last year, according to the HKSAR Immigration Department.

The discussion aims to enhance the government's understanding of the geographical distribution and development of major infrastructure in major cities of Guangdong Province, the HKSAR government information services said.

"Items on the itinerary included: the control points at Huanggang and Lo Wu, the subway system and major infrastructure in Shenzhen, the site of Shenzhen Western Corridor (Shenzhen section), the railway station and Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, Nansha development zone, the port and airport in Zhuhai, as well as the container terminals in Shekou, Chiwan, Yantian and Huangpu in Shenzhen," the source said.

Earlier, the fifth meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference was held in Zhuhai on March 15.

The two delegations, led respectively by Tsang, and the Vice-Governor of the Guangdong Province, Ou Guangyuan, expressed satisfaction with the achievements made last year and in particular the cooperation in cross boundary controls and the extension of operating hours at Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Control Points.

The meeting discussed at great length three items, namely the co-location of immigration and customs facilities, cooperation in tourism and the provision passenger ferry services connecting major ports of the Pearl River Delta region and Hong Kong International Airport.

Officials from the two places will hold another meeting to exchange views and ideas on a coming meeting in the middle of this year.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Mainland-Hong Kong Free Trade Zone Possible in Five Years

Interview: Chinese Mainland's WTO Entry Benefits HK Economy