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The Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, acting on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, today (February 5) witnessed the signing ceremony in Shenzhen for the agreement to entrust the design of the Hong Kong side boundary-crossing facilities of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor (HK-SWC) to the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government.

The Executive Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, Mr Li Decheng, represented the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government at the ceremony.

The Secretary for Security thanked the Shenzhen authorities for their co-operation and efforts in implementing the co-location of customs and immigration facilities at the new boundary crossing at the HK-SWC.

Mr Lee said Hong Kong would co-operate fully with Shenzhen on the new boundary crossing to ensure that the design of its facilities, construction and operation would meet the technical requirements and management standards of both sides.

Shenzhen Executive Vice Mayor Li said that in view of the implementation of the co-location arrangements at the HK-SWC, the boundary crossing facilities of the Hong Kong side would be located in Shenzhen. He said the two sides would join hands to complete the construction of the boundary crossing, working on the basis of mutual trust, sincere co-operation, respect for laws and enhanced efficiency.

The agreement was signed by the Deputy Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Wong, and the Vice Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and Director of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Western Corridor Project Office, Mr Tang Yaozhi.

Ends/Thursday, February 5, 2004

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