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A foundation-stone laying ceremony will be held in Shenzhen in the morning of August 28 (Thursday) to mark the construction of the Hong Kong - Shenzhen Western Corridor (HK - SWC).

Vice-Premier Mr Zeng Peiyan, Chief Executive Mr Tung Chee Hwa, Guangdong Governor Mr Huang Huahua and Party Secretary of Shenzhen Ms Huang Liman, will jointly officiate at the ceremony.

Attending the ceremony will be senior officials from the ministries concerned and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government. The Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, will also be present together with Hong Kong officials from relevant bureaux and departments.

The HK - SWC, the fourth road boundary crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, will help alleviate traffic on the three existing vehicular boundary crossings at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok.

The five-kilometre expressway will span Deep Bay on elevated structures, linking the road networks in Hong Kong via the Deep Bay Link at Ngau Hom Shek and Shekou in Shenzhen. A total of 3.2 kilometres of the expressway will be in Hong Kong waters.

The Shenzhen Municipal People's Government is responsible for construction of the remaining 1.8 kilometres of the bridge and the boundary-crossing facilities at Shekou.

The cost of the contract for the Hong Kong Section of the bridge is about $2.2 billion. Its construction is targetted for completion by the end of 2005.

End/Monday, August 25, 2003

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