ENG-2016 — Page 49

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Constitution and Administration

Working Relationship with Mainland Authorities

The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau is responsible for coordinating contacts between the HKSAR Government and the Mainland authorities, promoting regional cooperation initiatives between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and overseeing the operation of the HKSAR Government's Mainland offices.

The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council facilitates the HKSAR Government's development of contacts with the Mainland authorities, and liaises closely with the HKSAR Government on matters of mutual concern and on arrangements for official visits between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Cooperation with Mainland Provinces and Municipalities

The Dedicated Chapter on Hong Kong and Macao in the 'Outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan for the National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China' was promulgated in March. It establishes Hong Kong's important role in the country's overall development, including in consolidating and enhancing the SAR's status as international financial, transportation and trade centres; expresses clear support for the development of Hong Kong's professional services, including in innovation and technology as well as legal and dispute resolution; and promotes financial services, business and commerce, logistics and professional services towards high-end and high value-added development. The Dedicated Chapter also emphasises deepening cooperation between Hong Kong/Macao and the Mainland, including supporting Hong Kong's participation in the country's two-way opening up and the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting an upgrade of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), deepening financial collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and deepening exchange and cooperation among Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland in areas including society, livelihood, innovation and technology, culture, education and environmental protection.

At the 19th Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference in September, the two sides reviewed the progress of their collaboration over the past year and set directions for future cooperation in areas including the Belt and Road Initiative, innovation and technology, youth cooperation, environmental protection, financial cooperation, professional services, cooperation in major regional areas, education, tourism and cross- boundary infrastructure.

On regional collaboration, Qianhai, Nansha and Hengqin are major platforms for promoting cooperation among Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao. The HKSAR Government has been keeping close contact with Mainland authorities to plan and develop these three areas. Over the past years, the three areas have adopted a number of policies and measures offering favourable treatment to Hong Kong people and enterprises, such as introducing a 15 per cent enterprise tax for eligible companies in Qianhai and Hengqin; extending pilot areas from Qianhai, Nansha and Henggin to the entire municipal cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, where associations between Hong Kong and Mainland law firms operating in the form of a partnership can be established; and extending a cross-border Renminbi pilot loan scheme from Qianhai to Nansha and Hengqin. The Qianhai Authority has also agreed to arrange pilot

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