Hong Kong and Guangdong
agreed to expand cooperation in areas including food safety and
cross-border freight at the Eighth Plenary Session of the Hong
Kong-Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference in Hong Kong on
Wednesday.
The conference was attended by Guangdong Governor Huang
Huahua and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region Donald Tsang, according to a government press
release.
An agreement to establish a notification system to enhance food
safety was reached between the two sides. Tsang was quoted as
saying that he and Huang reviewed the progress of cooperation over
the past year and discussed the way forward.
According to Tsang, both sides will designate officers to make
enquires and notify the other side of issues related to the
inspection and quarantine of animals and plants, and food safety.
They will organize meetings to exchange views on major food
incidents and policies.
Also discussed during the conference were issues relating to
cross-border transport and logistics. Tsang said the "one-truck
one-driver" rule will be relaxed, and the duration of the
cross-boundary joint venture contract of freight vehicles will be
extended from three years to six. The "one-truck one-driver" rule
states that each container truck must have a designated driver
authorized to drive the vehicle upon payment of a monthly license
fee.
Both sides are working towards the completion of the Shenzhen
Bay Control Point for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor and
the control point for the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line.
Co-location arrangements like clearance services for both sides
will be implemented at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point to provide
greater convenience to travelers and drivers, Tsang said.
The two sides will also implement the Pearl River Delta Regional
Air Quality Management Plan to achieve emission reduction targets
by 2010. The air-quality monitoring network has already passed the
acceptance test.
Both sides agreed to make preparatory arrangements for a daily
Regional Air Quality Index report by year's end.
On the preparatory work for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge,
Tsang said Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao have reached a consensus
on the landing points.
The feasibility study on the project has been largely completed,
he said, adding that the findings are being assessed by the three
parties. Also under discussion is the next step to be taken with a
view to expediting the project.
(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2005)