Press Releases

CS meets Shenzhen Mayor

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Rafael Hui, visited the Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr Xu Zongheng, in Shenzhen Citizens' Centre today (February 23). Mr Hui was accompanied by the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam; the Head of Hong Kong Guangdong Co-operation Co-ordination Unit, Mr Arthur Ho; and the Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs, Guangdong, Mr Peter Leung.

Mr Hui first went to the Mayor's office to exchange new year greetings and then had lunch with Mr Xu.

Mr Hui said he was glad to meet Mayor Xu and his colleagues of Shenzhen Municipality at the beginning of the new year. "Geographical proximity makes Hong Kong and Shenzhen closely connected to each other. Our strengths are also highly complementary. Co-operation between the two places is very important for both practical needs and strategic development, therefore, the Government attaches great importance to co-operation and exchanges with Shenzhen."

In September last year, Mr Xu led an official delegation to Hong Kong to attend a Shenzhen-HK co-operation meeting, during which many co-operation items were discussed.

Regarding the proposed setting up of a new control point at Liantang, the two sides agreed to set up a joint study group to consider relevant issues. Apart from cross-boundary traffic flow analysis, they will study the proposal from a strategic and macro perspective, and look into the various implications of the proposal.

On preventing and controlling avian influenza, the two sides will continue to enhance co-operation on areas such as combating illegal import and export of live poultry and strengthening surveillance and inspection in markets.

Ends/Thursday, February 23, 2006