Under the "Co-operation Agreement on Recently Initiated Major Infrastructural Projects" signed by Hong Kong and Shenzhen on December 18 last year, a Joint Task Force was set up to co-ordinate, liaise and steer work on the studies in relation to the planning and development of land in the boundary district.
The heads of the Joint Task Force, the Executive Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Liu Yingli, and the Secretary for Development of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Mrs Carrie Lam, co-chaired the first meeting of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Joint Task Force on Boundary District Development between government officials from both sides in Shenzhen today (March 10), marking a substantial start on joint study of boundary district development projects.
The joint task force endorsed its terms of reference, organisation and composition. It was agreed that meetings would be held every six months to discuss the work on the planning and development studies in respect of the boundary district.
The joint task force agreed that more efforts should be made to ensure substantial progress and more effective co-ordination, liaison and steering of the work on the studies in relation to the development of Lok Ma Chau Loop and the new control point at Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai (LT/HYW). It was decided that three working groups should be formed for these two development projects - Working Group on Mode of Development of the loop, Working Group on Environment, Planning and Works of the loop, and Working Group on Preliminary Planning of Control Point at LT/HYW, and will set up relevant working groups at appropriate time according to the work progress. All the working groups will regularly report the progress on the studies to the joint task force.
On the loop, the joint task force decided that, on the principle of joint study and development, a joint comprehensive study should begin this year to explore the feasibility of developing the loop and land uses on the basis of mutual benefits. The funding for the study will be shared between the two governments. Moreover, academic institutions of both sides will be appointed shortly to collect views on the future development of the loop from the general public and experts on the two sides to provide a basis for the comprehensive study.
Both sides agreed to expedite the related work on the control point at LT/HYW. The proposed control point at LT/HYW will connect the Shenzhen Eastern Corridor and the eastern part of Guangdong Province, which will enhance the accessibility of the two sides to the eastern part of Guangdong Province and adjoining provinces, as well as further extend the economic hinterland of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. This will help to promote the development of the eastern area, thus having a strategic implication on the enhancement and promotion of the integration of Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Furthermore, the provision of a new control point can also enhance the handling capacity and the quality of service of the existing control points at the eastern area. Passengers and vehicles will be provided with a more convenient, direct and high quality passage across the boundary in the future.
The Hong Kong/Shenzhen Joint Preliminary Planning Study for Construction of LT/HYW Control Point recommended to separately locating the respective control point facilities on their own territory. Both sides initially intended to adopt this recommendation as a direction of further study. Based on the "people based" principle, the detailed layout and design of the control point will provide maximum convenience to the immigration and customs clearance of the two sides.
Through this high-level meeting mechanism and the setting up of the joint task force and its working groups, the efficiency of the work on the studies on the loop and the control point at LT/HYW will be enhanced. This will contribute to sustaining the competitiveness of urban development of both sides and to promote prosperity for mutual benefit.
Ends/Monday, March 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:54
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