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The Chief Executive has appointed Dr Victor Fung as the chairman of the new Greater Pearl River Delta Business Council and named another 31 business and corporate leaders as well as professionals as council members.
The appointments are for two years commencing March 1, 2004.
The business council aims to foster closer economic co-operation within the Greater Pearl River Delta Region. Its membership profile cuts across many sectors - including chambers of commerce, banking, shipping and textile industries, accounting, legal, logistics, technology, real estate, construction, environmental and education communities. There are also representatives from the small and medium-sized enterprises and think-tanks.
"We believe this private sector-led business council will complement the government-to-government framework of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference. The council's main mission is to come up with new business ideas on how to facilitate value-added operations and sustainable development across the boundary, thus promoting bilateral trade and investment," a Government spokesman said today (February 26).
"Win-win is the principle governing Hong Kong/Guangdong co-operation.
"With the wealth of expertise and experience of its members, the council will provide a forum for vigorous exchange of information and ideas with its Guangdong counterpart on how to broaden the scope of economic co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong."
At the meeting of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference on August 5, 2003, each side agreed to set up its own business committee to facilitate discussion and exchange between Hong Kong and Guangdong companies, trade and business associations. The business committee of the Guangdong side will be led by the Guangdong Sub-Council of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
The membership and the terms of reference of the Greater Pearl River Delta Business Council (in alphabetical order) are as follows:
Chairman
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Dr Victor Fung Kwok-king
Members
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The Hon Bernard Chan
Mr Felix Chan Kwok-wai
Mr Chan Wing-kee
The Hon Cheng Yiu-tong
Mr Marvin Cheung Kin-tung
Mr Jonathan Choi Koon-shum
The Hon Mrs Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee
Mr Chung Po-yang
Mr Sonny Doo
Mr David Gordon Eldon
The Hon Timothy Fok Tsun-ting
Mr He Guangbei
Mr Ip Shing-hing
Mr Raymond Kwok Ping-luen
Mr Frederick Lam Tin-fuk
The Hon Lau Wong-fat
Dr Edward Leong Che-hung
The Hon Leung Chun-ying
Mr Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen
Mr Victor Li Tzar-kuoi
Mr Victor Lo Chung-wing
Mr Vincent Lo Hong-sui
Mr Anthony Nightingale
Mr Shiu Sin-por
Dr the Hon Tsang Hin-chi
Mr Tung Chee-chen
Mr Peter Wong Hong-yuen
Dr Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung
Prof Enoch Young Chien-ming
Mr Yu Kwok-chun
Dr Jose Yu Sun-say
Terms of reference
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To advise the Chief Executive and to operate under Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference to foster closer economic co-operation within the Greater Pearl River Delta (GPRD) region by -
a) advising on the policies and implementation strategies needed to enhance the economic and other co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong, which in turn will facilitate more value-added operations and sustainable development on both sides of the boundary;
b) providing a forum for the private sectors in Hong Kong and Guangdong to exchange views with one another on how to further promote two-way trade and investments;
c) collecting opinions of Hong Kong business and professional sectors on issues relating to Hong Kong/Guangdong co-operation and channel them to both governments;
(d) in collaboration with the Central Policy Unit, conducting strategic research into the future economic development of the GPRD region; and
(e) establishing closer ties with provincial and municipal institutions in Guangdong.
Ends/Thursday, February 26, 2004
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