1
Constitution and Administration
multilateral co-operation in various areas. The nine provinces/autonomous regions agreed that Guangdong Province and the Hong Kong and Macao SARs would jointly host the forum in 2014.
The Consultative Committee on Economic and Trade Co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland was established in October 2013 to advise the HKSAR Government on strengthening co-operation with the Mainland in trade, economic and other relevant areas.
The HKSAR Government continued to follow up on the 190 post-earthquake reconstruction projects initiated by the HKSAR Government and non-governmental organisations in Sichuan. As at 31 December, 179 reconstruction projects had been completed. On the basis of the close ties resulting from the reconstruction work, Hong Kong and Sichuan also increased co- operation in various areas, including co-operation in sports and continued collaboration in the Wolong Nature Reserve.
Working Relationship with Macao Special Administrative Region
The Sixth Hong Kong-Macao Co-operation High Level Meeting was held in July. Both sides agreed to strengthen co-operation in areas such as cross-boundary transport arrangements for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, culture, tourism and environmental protection.
HKSAR's Offices in the Mainland
The HKSAR Government has four offices in the Mainland: the Beijing Office (BJO), and three Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) in Guangdong, Shanghai and Chengdu2 There are also liaison units in Shenzhen, Fujian and Chongqing. These offices and units are responsible for enhancing liaison, communication, trade, commercial relations and investment promotion in the Mainland; and providing support to Hong Kong residents and enterprises in the Mainland. In addition to the existing Immigration Divisions in the BJO and the Guangdong ETO, a new Immigration Division was set up in the Chengdu ETO in October to provide practical assistance to Hong Kong residents in distress or seeking assistance in the Mainland and to handle immigration matters.
Exchanges with Taiwan
Hong Kong and Taiwan have close economic, cultural and social ties. Taiwan is Hong Kong's fourth largest trading partner, with bilateral trade rising by 4.2 per cent to US$43.7 billion in 2013. With the launch of the online entry registration system for Taiwan visitors in September 2012, the number of visitors from Taiwan in 2013 amounted to some 2.1 million; while some 0.99 million people from Hong Kong visited Taiwan.
Hong Kong co-operates with Taiwan on public policy areas through the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council; and the Hong Kong Economic,
2
The Beijing Office covers Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai and Tibet. The Guangdong ETO covers Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan. The Shanghai ETO covers Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei and Shanghai. The Chengdu ETO covers Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Hunan and Chongqing.
21
Page 45Page 46