New Pearl River Delta business council established

The Chief Executive has appointed Dr Victor Fung as chairman of the new Greater Pearl River Delta Business Council and named another 31 business and corporate leaders and professionals as council members.

The appointments are for two years commencing on March 1.

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," a government spokesman said today (February 26).

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, promoting bilateral trade and investment.

"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," the spokesman said.

Ends/Thursday, February 26, 2004