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Pan-PRD cooperation marks positive start
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-07-05 15:03
Driven by the successful Forum on Cooperation and Development of the
Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) region, government delegations from three of the
nine PPRD provinces and autonomous region paid visits consecutively to Macao in
June, marking a positive and delectable start of the regional cooperation.
The awareness and will to promote cooperation in the PPRD region, also known
as "9+2", have been greatly boosted by the forum and will create a lot of
chances for enterprises from the Chinese mainland's PPRD region and the two
special administrative regions (SAR), Hong Kong and Macao.
During their visits to Hong Kong and Macao, delegations from Guangxi, Sichuan
and Fujian focused on cooperation in economic and trade fields, exhibition and
tourism. Guangxi delegation promoted the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian
Nations) Expo to be held in Guangxi Province's Nanning, while Sichuan held a
photo exhibition of its main attraction to Macao residents.
Due to the location and the market situation, Hong Kong and Macao SARs have
already established close economic and trade ties with China's mainland
provinces, especially the Pearl River Delta region in Guangdong Province. It was
estimated that the capital from Hong Kong and Macao SARs accounts for over 70
percent of all the overseas capital introduced to Guangdong and there are some
80,000 Hong Kong and Macao enterprises in the province.
Wong Hon Keong, President of Macao Social Science Institute, hopes to improve
the construction of infrastructure and means of transportation through the
regional cooperation, saying that the coordination among the "9+2" governments
will help avoid repeated construction. Local experts also consider the free
circulation of people, goods and capital in the region as another aim of the
cooperation.
As for the role of Macao SAR in the PPRD cooperation, local analysts said
although Macao is a small city, it has its own advantage and can exert an
important influence on the regional cooperation.
Making steady progress in social and economic development after its return to
the motherland in 1999, Macao is currently enjoying a good environment for
attracting investors and has a strong will to develop cooperation with other
regions.
Meanwhile, as free-trade area and independent tariff zone, Macao has economic
and trade relations with over 120 countries and regions, especially with the
European Union and the Portuguese-speaking countries. In the future cooperation
in the PPRD region, Macao can assist the PPRD region provinces in introducing
foreign capital, and help China's mainland enterprises enter the world market.
It was reported that, following the forum and the signing of the Framework
Agreement on Regional Cooperation in the PPRD region on June 3, all the nine
PPRD provincial governments showed great interest in cooperating with Hong Kong
and Macao SARs.
The "9+2" region consists of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Hainan,
Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi Autonomous region and Hong Kong and Macao
SARs.
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