Permanent Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Work Lo Yiu-ching will lead a high-level delegation to attend a cross-boundary construction conference in Dalian tomorrow.

The 147-member delegation comprises developers, contractors, consultants, academics, government officials, engineering and legal professionals as well as other private enterprises relating to the real-estate sector.

Entitled "2004 Mainland & Hong Kong Conference on Development of Construction, Real Estate & Professional Services", the conference is an annual event organised by the Environment, Transport & Works Bureau and the Ministry of Construction to foster ties and exchanges between Hong Kong and Mainland construction sectors.

The conference will explore business opportunities and facilitate technology exchange, development and co-operation of professional services between Hong Kong and the Mainland with the signing of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement agreement.

This year will bring together the largest number of participants, 147 from Hong Kong and 122 from the Mainland, since the implementation of CEPA.

In line with the Central Government's strategies to develop provinces in the northeast, the conference will provide an arena for the delegation to obtain first-hand information on business opportunities there.

During the three-day conference, the Hong Kong delegation will table 55 technical papers.

Fourteen of them - on topics including control of private architectural development, provision of professional services in urban sewage treatment, urban planning, reuse and treatment technology of sludge, building technologies, building maintenance and safety and issues relating to real estate - will be selected for presentation in the plenary sessions. 

Certificates under mutual recognition agreement to be presented

The Hong Kong Institute of Architects and the National Administration Board of Architectural Registration will also take the opportunity to hold a ceremony to present certificates to those candidates who have acquired relevant qualifications under the mutual recognition agreement for architects signed by the two sides in February this year.

Senior government officials from both sides including Mr Lo and Ministry of Construction Vice Chairman Liu Zhi-feng will be the honorary witnesses of the presentation ceremony.

After the conference, about 25 members of the Hong Kong delegation will go on a study tour to Harbin where they can see the latest economic, planning, infrastructural and real-estate developments.

They will also explore opportunities for business co-operation in these areas between the two sides.