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The Development Bureau and Planning Department, today (October 28), held a joint seminar in Macao with Guangdong Provincial Department of Construction and the Secretariat for Transport and Public Works of Macao for the promulgation of the outcome of the "Planning Study on the Coordinated Development of the Greater Pearl River Delta Townships".
Officiating at the promulgation were Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China, Ms Zhang Qin; Director-General of Guangdong Provincial Department of Construction, Mr Fang Qing-fang; Permanent Secretary of Development Bureau of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Mr Thomas Chow; Secretary for Transport and Public Works of Macao SAR, Mr Lau Si-io; Vice Director of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Guangdong Province, Mr Zhang Jian-jun; and Mr Li Chun-man of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR. Other participants of the seminar included representatives of the planning authorities of the nine cities in Pearl River Delta and the experts, academics, representatives of concerned organisations and government officials from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
A spokesman of Planning Department said, "The GPRD Study is the first strategic planning study undertaken jointly by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The objective of the study is to formulate a regional development strategy by taking a forward-looking perspective to consider the opportunities and constraints of the Greater Pearl River Delta region under the 'One Country, Two Systems' framework. Through better resource utilisation, environmental protection and development of transport infrastructure, the strategy would improve the environment, enhance living quality, ensure sustainable development, and strengthen the overall competitiveness of the region.กจ
"The study was undertaken by Peking University and Guangdong Urban and Regional Planning and Design Institute as appointed by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. After a series of researches and analyses, the study raises that Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao should work together towards an overall objective of building a system of co-ordinated and sustainable world-class townships which are vibrant, energetic and globally competitive.
"Regarding individual places, Hong Kong should continue to strengthen its position as an international metropolis in Asia and develop into one of the world's most important centres of modern service industries and a global city with good living quality; Pearl River Delta should be developed into a world-class base of advanced manufacturing and modern service industries as well as an important economic centre of China; and Macao should be developed as the world's most attractive tourism and recreation centre as well as commercial and trading services platform."
The spokesman said that to achieve these objectives, the study put forth a number of co-operation proposals and imminent major tasks in the aspects of cross-boundary transportation, development of cross-boundary areas, ecological/environmental protection, and co-ordination mechanisms, with a view to strengthening the co-ordinated development among the three places.กจ
"The outcome of the study will serve as an outline strategic analysis for the reference of the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in formulating regional co-operation and cross-boundary policies. Given the different economic and political systems of the three places, the respective governments should carry out further study, assessment and public consultation and give due regard to the local circumstances before putting the recommendations into implementation. At present, the governments of the three places have started discussion on some of the recommendations, with a view to progressing into the next stage of study," the spokesman said.
Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao also held an interflow session, inviting the representatives of the planning authorities of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong, Macao and the nine cities of Pearl River Delta to discuss the issues relating to the co-ordination and management of regional and urban planning in the co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Four experts and academics, Ms Zhang Qin of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China, Professor Li Xun of the University of Zhongshan, Dr James Wang of the University of Hong Kong and Professor Ieong Tou-hong of Macao Polytechnic Institute, were also invited to speak on the issues relating to the co-ordinated development of Greater Pearl River Delta in the global and national context.
Ends/Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:30
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