In the two-day forum, participants from nine provinces/autonomous region and the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SAR) will exchange their views on how to expedite economic and social developments in the region.

Addressing the forum, CPU head Professor Lau Siu-kai said that the in-depth discussion by experts and academics from the region on regional co-operation was conducive to the economic and cultural developments in the region.

Professor Lau said the Pan-PRD co-operation was a catalyst for the economic integration between the HKSAR and other provinces/autonomous region.

"This expands HKSAR'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.

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

"I believe that more concrete proposals for co-operation will emerge from today's forum. This will form the basis for mapping out strategies and action plans," he said.

Today's forum was divided into two discussion sessions, focusing on the macro-analysis of the Pan-PRD regional co-operation at regional, Guangdong, Yunnan and HKSAR levels.

The discussion sessions were chaired by the Director of HKIAPS, Professor Yeung Yue-man and Professor Anthony Yeh of the Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) respectively.

Professor Yeung, while leading a discussion session, said that with its close economic and trading relationship with the nine provinces/autonomous region, 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 the HKSAR and the Guangdong Province," Professor Yeung said.

Other guests speakers at today's forum were the Vice-Director of Research Office of the State Council Development Research Centre, Mr Feng Jie; the Director of Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, Mr Liang Guiquan; the Director of School of Development Studies of Yunnan University, Mr Yang Xianming; and Professor Shen Jianfa of HKIAPS.

Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai in the morning, the forum continued in the CUHK campus this afternoon. It will continue on campus tomorrow. The forum is co-sponsored by the Task Force on Hong Kong-Pearl River Delta Development of HKU; the China Business Centre of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the APEC Study Centre of the City University of Hong Kong.

(Source: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government website)

Editor: Catherine