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The Fifth Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Co-operation and Development Forum (PPRD Forum) is being held at Nanning, Guangxi, between June 9 and 11. "In the face of the threats posed by various crises, including the global financial tsunami and human swine flu, Hong Kong will continue to share our experience and make contributions to regional co-operation, for achieving a win-win situation", the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, said at the PPRD Forum today (June 10).
Moreover, the HKSAR Government would seize the valuable opportunity brought about by "The Outline of the Plan for the Reform and Development of the Pearl River Delta" and the development opportunities provided by Supplement VI to the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).
"The HKSAR Government attaches great importance to the opportunity brought about by the Outline. The industrial structure within the region will definitely be enriched by capitalising on the framework and platform provided by the Outline. We will further develop the considerable market of the population of 50 million in the Greater PRD region, and tap the potential of the PPRD region which has a population of more than 400 million," the Chief Executive said.
On regional industrial co-operation, the HKSAR Government has launched a number of measures to promote the upgrading and restructuring of the processing industry and to facilitate the sale of processed goods on the Mainland. The HKSAR Government will strengthen ties with the PPRD region, organise business matching events and trade fairs, and disseminate information on local consumer markets and access channels so as to assist the Hong Kong business community to invest in the Mainland market.
In view of the current adverse economic environment, Hong Kong will continue to make a mark in acting as a bridge in PPRD regional co-operation to jointly overcome the economic crisis.
"With our edges in infrastructure, financial services, trade, logistics, tourism and information services, coupled with a sound legal system and regulatory framework, flexible business environment, as well as the expediency brought about by the CEPA, Hong Kong will continue to provide an important platform in assisting the Mainland to go global and attract foreign investment," the Chief Executive said.
A 22-strong HKSAR Government delegation attended the Fifth PPRD Forum. The delegation is led by the Chief Executive, and includes the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam; the Head of the Central Policy Unit, Professor Lau Siu-kai; the Permanent Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Joshua Law; the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Service), Ms Au King-chi, and other senior officials.
The Chief Executive today attended the High-Level Forum of the Fifth PPRD Forum, during which he spoke on Hong Kong's bridging role in national reform and opening-up, tackling the global financial tsunami, regional industrial co-operation and overall PPRD regional co-operation.
The Chief Executive will attend the PPRD leaders' joint conference tomorrow at which the way forward for regional co-operation and major initiatives will be discussed.
Alongside the PPRD Forum, HKSAR Government representatives will also attend three PPRD regional sector-specific forums and meetings in Nanning. Attending the PPRD "Capital City Mayors' Forum", the Permanent Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Joshua Law, will speak on the theme of "enhancing the living environment". The Deputy Director of Planning, Mr Jimmy Leung, and the Government Engineer/ Railway Development of the Highways Department, Mr Raymond Ho, will speak at the traffic co-operation meeting. The Commissioner for Tourism, Miss Margaret Fong, will speak at the tourism co-operation meeting.
Ends/Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:43
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