Permanent Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Lo Yiu-ching will lead a 148-member delegation to attend a construction-related conference in Xian tomorrow.

The delegates include developers, contractors, consultants, academics, professionals from the engineering, finance and legal sectors as well as representatives of private enterprises related to the real estate sector. 

The three-day conference, with the main theme on "Construction Economics, Real Estate & Urban Disaster Prevention", is an annual event jointly organised by the bureau, the Ministry of Construction, and also with the Xian Municipal Government.

The conference is aimed at promoting the exchange in construction technology and expertise, and enhancing the co-operation and business opportunities between the construction industries in the Mainland and Hong Kong. 

The topics to be discussed in the three sessions of the conference include urban safety and disaster prevention; financing, economic analysis and risk management in construction; and development of real estate, in particular energy-efficient and land-saving residential housing.

The Hong Kong delegation will table 50 technical papers, while the Mainland will table 27. Eight papers from each side will be presented in the conference.

Upon completion of the conference on September 22, Mr Lo will lead 20 members of the Hong Kong delegation on a study mission to Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, where they can see the latest economic, town planning, infrastructural and real estate development.

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