ENG-2013 — Page 44

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Constitution and Administration

The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council (HKMAO) assists the HKSAR Government in developing contacts with the Mainland authorities and liaises closely with the HKSAR Government on matters of mutual concern and on arrangements for official visits. between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Co-operation with Mainland provinces/municipalities

The Dedicated Chapter on Hong Kong and Macao in the National 12th Five-Year Plan (the Dedicated Chapter) emphasises the importance of deepening Hong Kong/Guangdong co- operation and implementing the Framework Agreement on Hong Kong/Guangdong Co- operation (the Framework Agreement), further elevating Hong Kong/Guangdong co-operation to the national development strategy level.

At the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference (Joint Conference) in September 2013, the two sides agreed a 2014 work plan which focuses on promoting the early achievement of liberalisation of trade in services between the two places, expediting the Framework Agreement's implementation, and developing the three key co-operation areas of Nansha, Hengqin and Qianhai. The two sides also agreed to enhance co-operation in areas such as financial services, professional services, tourism, commerce and trade, technology, creative industries, cross-boundary infrastructure, environmental protection, education, and combating smuggling.

The HKSAR Government is actively involved in the development of Nansha, Hengqin and Qianhai.

The governments of the HKSAR and of Guangzhou, through a working group set up under the Joint Conference, pushed forward the implementation of the 'Plan for the Development of Nansha New District of Guangzhou' and assisted the Nansha authority in organising a seminar in Hong Kong to brief Hong Kong industries on the opportunities that Nansha's development might bring.

Regarding Hengqin, the HKSAR Government and the Zhuhai Municipal Government set up a working group under the Joint Conference to help Hong Kong companies to take advantage of the business opportunities arising from the development of Hengqin.

Regarding Qianhai, as at December 2013, the Mainland authorities had implemented 16 of the 22 policies promulgated in the State Council's 'Policies for Development and Opening-up of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone!

In 2013, Hong Kong and Shenzhen also made progress on co-operation in various areas, including combating illegal parallel trading activities, improving immigration clearance arrangements for cross-boundary students, environmental protection, financial services, innovation and technology, and cross-boundary infrastructure.

The Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Region comprises nine provinces/autonomous regions of the Mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao SARS. The HKSAR Government's participation in the PPRD Co-operation and Development Forum in Guizhou in September helped reinforce

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