Cooperation consolidation: Central Policy Unit Head Professor Lau Siu-kai said following the signing of the Pan-PRD Regional Co-operation Framework Agreement, consolidation of regional co-operation will be of paramount importance.

The in-depth discussion by experts and academics from the Pan-Pearl River Delta region on co-operation is conducive to the economic and cultural developments in the region, Central Policy Unit Head Professor Lau Siu-kai said, at the launch of the two-day Pan-PRD Development Forum today.

More than 200 academics, researchers, government officials and leaders in business sectors from nine provinces/autonomous regions and the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions will exchange their views on how to expedite economic and social developments in the region

Addressing the forum, Professor Lau said the Pan-PRD co-operation is a catalyst for the economic integration between Hong Kong and other provinces/autonomous regions.

"This expands Hong Kong's economic hinterland to cover more than one-third of the total area of the Mainland. It will help Hong Kong develop its competitive edge and is beneficial to the territory's long-term economic development.

"Government promotion, coupled with market-driven strategies, is the important principle underlying co-operation within the Pan-PRD region. And policy research is a prerequisite of government promotion efforts," Professor Lau said.

Regional cooperation of paramount importance

He said following signing of the Pan-PRD Regional Co-operation Framework Agreement, consolidation of regional co-operation will be of paramount importance.

Professor Lau believes more concrete proposals for co-operation will emerge from today's forum, which will form the basis for mapping out strategies and action plans.

Organised by the Central Policy Unit and the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the forum was divided into two discussion sessions, focusing on the macro-analysis of the Pan-PRD regional co-operation at regional, Guangdong, Yunnan and Hong Kong levels.

The discussion sessions were chaired by the institute's Director, Professor Yeung Yue-man and Professor Anthony Yeh of the Centre of Urban Planning & Environmental Management of the University of Hong Kong.

Strengthen software, hardware integration

Professor Yeung said with its close economic and trading relationship with the nine provinces/autonomous regions, Hong Kong should actively participate in the development of the Pan-PRD regional co-operation.

It should also introduce international standards, trading culture, information and capital into the region, while assisting the region to enter the world market and increase its competitiveness.

"As such, the primary task is to strengthen the integration, both in terms of software and hardware, between Hong Kong and Guangdong Province," Professor Yeung said.