ENG-2014 — Page 49

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Constitution and Administration

sides agreed in 2014 to identify pilot construction projects in Qianhai where Hong Kong accredited construction and engineering related professionals would be allowed to provide services directly.

In 2014, Hong Kong and Shenzhen also made progress on co-operation in various areas, including professional services, financial services, improving immigration clearance arrangements for cross-boundary students, education, environmental protection, and cross- boundary infrastructure.

In January 2014, the Chief Executive led a delegation to Fujian. Both sides agreed to enhance co-operation between Fujian and Hong Kong and in November they agreed to establish a Hong Kong-Fujian Co-operation Conference.

The Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Region comprises nine provinces/autonomous regions of the Mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao SARs. In October, the HKSAR co-hosted the 10th Pan- Pearl River Delta Region Co-operation and Development Forum and Trade Fair jointly with Guangdong Province and Macao SAR. This helped Hong Kong promote its advantages as a 'super-connector' for capital, talent and technology in the region.

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.

Working Relationship with Macao Special Administrative Region

The Seventh 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, food safety, e-government and tourism.

HKSAR's Offices in the Mainland

The HKSAR Government's fifth office in the Mainland, the Wuhan Economic and Trade Office (ETO), was set up in April 2014. The government's four other Mainland Offices are the Beijing Office (BJO), and three Hong Kong ETOS in Chengdu, Guangdong and Shanghai3. In addition, the Liaoning Liaison Unit was established under the BJO in December, the fourth HKSAR Government liaison unit in the Mainland. The other three liaison units are in Chongqing, Fujian and Shenzhen. 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. There are also Immigration Divisions in the BJO, the Chengdu and Guangdong ETOS to provide practical assistance to Hong Kong residents in distress or seeking assistance in the Mainland and to handle immigration matters.

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The Beijing Office covers Beijing, Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, Tianjin and Xinjiang. The Guangdong ETO covers Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Yunnan. The Shanghai ETO covers Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong, Shanghai and Zhejiang. The Chengdu ETO covers Chongqing, Guizhou, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Tibet. The Wuhan ETO covers Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Shanxi.

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