Policy Address

Forging Closer Ties and Co-operation

33.         The current-term Government strives to expand the network and enhance the functions of its offices in the Mainland, and will establish six more liaison units.  The aim is to have two liaison units under every Mainland office.  The Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Wuhan will set up two liaison units this year, one in Hunan Province and another in Henan Province.  The Government will set up an Immigration Division under the Shanghai ETO and deploy dedicated staff to the Beijing Office to handle cultural matters.  Bureaux and departments will continue to foster diverse exchanges and co-operation with the Mainland.

34.         The paragraphs relating to the HKSAR in the Proposal on Formulating the National 13th Five-Year Plan states that regional co-operation should be strengthened and Guangdong-Hong Kong co-operation is of utmost importance in this regard.  Currently, apart from the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference co-chaired by me and the Governor of Guangdong Province, the three Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone regions, i.e.  Qianhai, Nansha and Hengqin, also come under the auspices of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen, Hong Kong-Guangzhou and Hong Kong-Zhuhai co-operation meetings respectively.  These high-level co-operation meetings work to deepen sustainable collaborated development to capture immense opportunities.  The three regions each has its own unique characteristics, with Qianhai serving as the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone; Nansha, with the largest physical area, focusing on promoting Guangdong-Hong Kong in-depth co-operation and establishing a technology and innovation transfer platform between the two places; and Hengqin attaching importance to development of cultural, creativity, tourism and leisure industries.  Having accumulated considerable international experience in these aspects and with a rich pool of professional talents, Hong Kong will be able to enhance our co-operative partnerships with Guangdong Province and the three regions under the principle of “one country, two systems”, thus providing better and greater opportunities for Hong Kong people and enterprises. 

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