Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua and Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang shake hands in the 10th plenary session of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Conference.

Guangdong and Hong Kong agreed to enhance cooperation on 30 projects covering areas of trade, environmental protection, food safety, cross-boundary infrastructure and education in the 10th plenary session of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Conference, held in Hong Kong yesterday (Aug 2nd).

The two delegations, headed by Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua and Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang respectively, made a review of the two sides’ cooperation over the past ten years and discussed the way forward.

Oversea promotion has been one of the two sides’ major joint efforts for the past few years. In the second half of the year, they will launch an outsourcing service project promotion in Denmark and Ireland.

On environmental protection, the joint conference discussed measures to help Hong Kong-funded enterprises operating in Guangdong to meet new environment-protection laws and regulations. As Guangdong is now phasing out inefficient and polluting businesses, the two sides have agreed to set up a joint team to help the affected enterprises.

Both sides attached importance to public concern over food safety and pledged more efforts on food production, inspection and transportation.

According to the conference, the customs and other services in Shenzhen-Hong Kong west corridor and Shenzhen Bay port will be improved. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail construction will be accelerated. Meanwhile, the feasibility study for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is close to completion. In the next phase, the three governments involved will focus on the selection of locations for three checkpoints and sorting out financing for the project.

The two sides are committed to fostering cooperation on science and education. The two education departments will continue to promote exchange between their primary and secondary school teachers and to facilitate training for teachers and management in both places. An additional 42 primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong will become "sister schools" with schools in Guangdong.

The two sides are also agreed to set up teams in charge of the cooperation in social welfare and reforming.in processing industry.

Editor: Yan