Hong Kong and Shenzhen Thursday inked a number of agreements on legal services, industry and trade, investment promotion, tourism and advanced technology.

A memorandum and eight agreements were signed after more than three hours of talks between Chief Secretary Donald Tsang and Shenzhen Mayor Li Hongzhong. A number of senior officials of the two governments attended the meeting.

"Mayor Li and I both agree that co-operation must start with a pragmatic view to cater to our economic needs. Most important of all is to ensure our citizens will gain from this," Tsang said of the teamwork.

Tsang said it was important that Hong Kong and Shenzhen should co-ordinate and build on their respective strengths without rivaling each other. The meeting has helped establish direct communication channels between relevant authorities of both sides, he said.

Hailing the meeting as successful and pragmatic, Li said the pacts were a milestone in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong partnership and would build a new platform on which broader and deeper synergy could be generated to benefit the people of both cities.

Tsang and Li will steer the co-operative efforts and meet regularly to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

The Memorandum on Closer Co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, signed by Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam and Shenzhen Executive Deputy Mayor Xu Zongheng, calls on both sides to complement each other for mutual economic prosperity.

It also calls for measures to fully implement the mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), to propel the development of cross-boundary infrastructure, and to enhance trade and commerce co-operation.

According to the agreement, Shenzhen will open its infrastructure and public utilities sectors to Hong Kong investors and facilitate the entry of Hong Kong's design, management, consultancy, legal and accounting services.

For legal services, both sides agreed to look into mutual recognition of professional degrees and practising of legal practitioners in both cities.

On economics and trade, three agreements were signed by Trade and Industry Department, Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council respectively with the Shenzhen Bureau of Trade and Industry.

They call for closer co-operation in exchanges between investment and trade agencies, mutual trade promotion and investment ventures.

Tsang hoped that more Shenzhen private enterprises would be set up in Hong Kong to build brand name products and to make use of the SAR's trade and financial services to access the international market.

By the end of 2002, more than 66,000 private enterprises were registered in Shenzhen with a capital of more than HK$100 billion.

Li said the Shenzhen government encouraged private enterprises to seek listing in Hong Kong, and believed many Shenzhen companies were qualified for going public.

On tourism, two agreements were signed to strengthen the "individual visit scheme". Measures will be taken to increase cross-boundary tourist flow and to enhance tourism promotion in both places.

During the "golden week" holiday, notification system in regard to tourist information and co-ordination in passenger flow will be stepped up.

On advanced technology, both sides agreed that universities and research institutes in the two places have abundant co-operation opportunities.

Two agreements were signed to tie in with the trend of developing high-value products in the Pearl River Delta region.

Tsang said the pacts were reached within the framework of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference and related proposals, when ready, would be submitted to the joint conference.

Both sides also agreed to monitor air and maritime pollution and to exchange information on eco-systems and environmental protection speedily. Co-operation in areas such as flood prevention and improvement of water quality will also be strengthened.

This is Li's first official visit to Hong Kong at the invitation of Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa. The delegation is scheduled to return to Shenzhen tomorrow.

(China Daily HK Edition June 18, 2004)