GUANGZHOU: Top officials of 11 administrative regions in southern China signed a framework agreement yesterday, vowing to strengthen economic co-operation across the board in the largest economic bloc in China.

The regions, which form what is called the Pan-Pearl River Delta (Pan-PRD) region, agreed on closer ties in 10 various business sectors. They include: infrastructure, industry and investment, commerce and trade, tourism, agriculture, labour, science, education and culture, information technology, environmental protection and public health.

The agreement was reached yesterday after the first Pan-PRD Regional Co-operation and Development Forum. It was held over three days in Hong Kong, Macao special administrative regions (SARs), and concluded yesterday in Guangzhou in the capital of Guangdong Province.

The pan-PRD concept, proposed by Guangdong Provincial Party Secretary Zhang Dejiang last year, encompasses the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Hainan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the two SARs.

Closer co-operation in the pan-delta region has become a common goal of the 11 regions, which are also known as "9+2." the agreement states.

With great support from related agencies of the central government, the co-operation is also in line with the strategy set by the authorities for promoting co-ordinated regional development in China, said Zhong Yangsheng, director of the forum's organizing committee.

Brewed from the Greater PRD concept, which covers Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, the pan-delta accord is also an answer to the call for accelerated implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement pacts between the mainland and the two SARs, said Huang Huahua, governor of Guangdong, at a press conference.

Top officials of the 11 regions all pledged to do their part in pushing forward Pan-PRD co-operation.

With a principle of "market leads, government facilitates," the co-operation is meant to bring complementary advantages to member regions into full play and to achieve a "win-win" situation, the agreement says.

(HK Edition 06/04/2004 page1)