TUNG PROMOTES HONG KONG/MAINLAND TRANSPORT, CUSTOMS LINKS

TUNG PROMOTES HONG KONG/MAINLAND TRANSPORT, CUSTOMS LINKS    Hong Kong and the cities in the Pearl River Delta must make themselves more business friendly in customs clearance and physical infrastructure, as well as planning and the use of land, said Tung Chee Hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
   Tung, the former head of OOCL, said the combined gross domestic product of Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta would increase from about $250 billion to $500 billion in 10 years’ time if the economies continued to grow at the same rate as in the past.
   Speaking at the Pearl River Delta: Forging a New Force conference in Hong Kong Tuesday, Tung said the Hong Kong government has streamlined clearance procedures at the border, and is working with the Chinese government and the Guangdong authorities to relieve the congestion at the boundary crossings in Lowu and Lok Ma Chau.
   About 20 percent of container trucks can now make more than two single trips a day at the Lok Ma Chau crossing point.
   Tung said the completion of a western corridor in 2006 and Lok Ma Chau spur line in 2007 would vastly improve the cross-boundary capacity. Other measures being looked at include the co-location of customs and immigration services, and enhancing 24-hour customs clearance service for goods vehicles.
   The airport authority is also studying the feasibility of developing express cargo service and passenger ferry service connecting major ports in the Pearl River Delta and the Hong Kong International Airport, Tung said.
   “We are also looking at the feasibility of building a regional express line linking Hong Kong with Guangzhou via Shenzhen within one hour by rail,” he said.