HONG KONG: The Pearl River Delta (PRD) bears the potential to rival the top cities in the world, Chief Secretary for Administration Henry Tang said yesterday. Closer and more creative economic tides between Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong province would enhance the region's competitiveness in the global market, he told the Bauhinia Summit on "Creating a World Class PRD Metropolis cum the Second Pearl River Forum".

"Hong Kong is benefited by its policy, law system, professional services and international position. If we integrate the city's privileges more intensively with the resources the mainland has, such as its land resources, manpower and productivity, it is believed that the Pearl River Delta would be more competitive in the international financial world. It would be more powerful globally," said Tang.

"All cities in the region should not only focus on economic development as they have in the past," Tang said. "Instead, the cities should coordinate and link every aspect, such as business, community, and lifestyle, in order to boost the region's integration as a whole."

Tang thinks the PRD should work harder on transportation implementation and to reach out more to the world.

"After the construction of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the traveling time between the cities of the region will be shortened. At the same time, the time needed for the cities of the region to travel to other parts of the world would also be reduced," he said.

(HK Edition 01/27/2010 page1)