In an interview with Hong Kong media on May 24, Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua praised Guangdong-Hong Kong co-op-eration as contributing to the province's rapid and healthy social and economic development during the tenth five-year plan period (2001-2005).

He also expected this cooperation to continue and expand so as to boost the development of both regions in the future.

Governor Huang emphasized the "brotherhood" of Guangdong and Hong Kong. Since the beginning of China's reform policy, Guangdong has attracted 160 billion USD of foreign investment, 60 percent of which came from Hong Kong. Also up to 80,000 Hong Kong funded businesses are registered in Guangdong so far. About 70 percent of Guangdong's international trade comes through Hong Kong.

Since the Mainland-Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) took effect on January 1, 2004, up to 70 percent of all non-tariff goods come from Hong Kong into the mainland through Guangdong customs and over 80 percent of all mainland travellers to Hong Kong are from Guangdong.

Governor Huang listed five key aspects for Guangdong-Hong Kong continued cooperation in the eleventh five-year plan period (2006-2010).

1) Guangdong expects Hong Kong to expand its investment not only in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) but also in its eastern and western wings as well as its mountainous areas, which will offer the same preferential policies given by PRD and cheaper labor and land-use cost.
2) Cooperation on issues related to the public's health, such as food safety and environmental protection will be enhanced.

3) Cooperation in large infrastructure and customs projects are to be con-tinued. These include the Shenzhen Bay Bridge which will open this year, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong western corridor project which is on schedule and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge for which most of the preparatory work is completed.

4) Both regions should cooperate to expand collaboration with other Pan Pearl River Delta members.

5) Increase cooperation in technology, education and culture development. 

Editor: Yan