Cross-boundary collaboration: Chief Secretary Henry Tang attends the Hong Kong-Shenzhen co-operation meeting in Shenzhen.

Chief Secretary Henry Tang has proposed measures for the Shenzhen Municipal Government to consider to help Hong Kong enterprises in Shenzhen.

Speaking after the Hong Kong-Shenzhen co-operation meeting in Shenzhen today, Mr Tang said the measures would help enterprises lower their operating costs, expand the internal market, ease their financing and help them upgrade and restructure.

The Shenzhen Municipal Government will consider the measures, Mr Tang said, adding the Governments of both places will follow up.

Agreements signed

Hong Kong and Shenzhen today signed agreements to boost co-operation in the joint comprehensive study of the Lok Ma Chau Loop, education, cleaner production in the two cities, cultural development, and tourism.

Both sides agreed consultants will be engaged in mid-2009 to undertake the planning and engineering feasibility study of the Lok Ma Chau Loop.

The two sides initially considered that higher education might be developed as the leading land use in the loop, incorporating hi-tech research and development facilities and creative industries.

The idea will provide impetus for human-resources development in the South China region, enhance the Pearl River Delta's competitiveness, and benefit the two cities' long-term economic development.

Education cooperation

To widen the scope of co-operation on education, both governments agreed to promote education exchange and co-operation, and to encourage and support collaborative activities among schools, teachers and students of the two sides.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen will hold annual meetings to exchange views, explore the future roadmap and develop initiatives for further co-operation.

Both Hong Kong and Shenzhen will step up communication between travel trades and co-operation in tourism promotion, specifically on joint promotion of multi-destination itineraries and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions tourism.

Cultural development

The two sides will enhance and facilitate mutual cultural development and establish closer partnership.

To enhance cooperation efforts in promoting cleaner production, both governments will encourage enterprises to adopt energy-efficient and emission-reduction measures and technologies.

They will jointly organise awareness promotion activities, experience sharing and demonstration projects, and will consider introducing other incentive measures. They will draw up implementation plans and establish a working group to take forward the work.

For more details of the five agreements, click here.