Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang yesterday hailed a visit by Hong Kong's lawmakers to Guangdong a success, saying it was now up to them to capitalize on the communication channels the trip had opened.

Reviewing the achievement of the visit to four cities in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), Tsang said the symbolism of the unprecedented visit was more important than any discussions which took place during the trip.

That everybody was able to engage in a frank dialogue already marked a valuable and successful first step, even though the trip did not lead to any consensus, said Tsang, urging legislators to "stride another step to reach for the wide open sky."

"I'm hoping the Legislative Council (LegCo) will organize their own trips, particularly on a need basis, enabling members to meet mainland officials on appropriate occasions. But I believe we have made a reasonable and good start," Tsang said.

Legislators were back in Hong Kong yesterday after two days of visits to Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou and Zhongshan's industrial and educational facilities. It was the first time all LegCo members had been invited to visit the mainland.

Rita Fan, LegCo president and deputy head of the delegation, said that while the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the mainland had to co-operate on both economics and politics, there did not have to be a breakthrough immediately.

Commenting on the meeting with Guangdong Party Secretary Zhang Dejiang on Sunday, Fan said the dialogue was frank and Zhang had systematically explained the position of the central government on a number of issues.

Trip to university town

Howard Young of the Liberal Party said that although he visited the Chinese mainland regularly for business, the visit was the first time he had gained a macro-picture of regional development, and he was impressed by the Guangzhou University Town.

"We in the Liberal Party feel deeply about it for they have completed the mammoth project in a couple of years. For us in Hong Kong, a project of such scale would have required many years of discussion before construction could even start. This is something we have to learn from them," Young said.

The project of the university town, located on the newly developed Xiaoguwei Island and the southern riverside of Panyu, began in 2003 and its first two phases were operational in 2005. At present, the town accommodates 10 tertiary institutions with 123,000 teachers and students. When the entire project is completed next year, there will be 150,000 students and a population of 200,000.

Young said he felt a sense of urgency that the SAR must make use of the relationship with the PRD to push economic development forward and stay competitive.

"We feel even people in the PRD are feeling pressure from the development of the Yangtze River Delta. So I think it's really in our mutual benefit to use the geographical position of the PRD and Hong Kong to strengthen our economic base," he told China Daily.

At the Zhongshan University in the complex, second-year student Danny Wong from the SAR was among onlookers waiting for the group. Asked what he would raise with Tsang should he have the chance to meet him, the 22-year-old did not hesitate and said he would ask for his university degree to be recognized in Hong Kong.

Lau: Trip successful

Lau Kwong-wah of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) agreed the visit had achieved what was intended - it was the first time all members have set foot on the mainland in their official capacity.

Lau said it could not be more important for Hong Kong and Guangdong to work closely together under the Pan-PRD strategy that called for a high degree of synergy between the resourceful hinterland, the industrial base in Guangdong and the services centre in Hong Kong. "If we can set aside the political issues and focus on economic co-operation as well as something of our common concern, we would then be able to talk. If we continue to get ourselves entangled by how we differ, it's likely that it will be affected," Lau said.

(China Daily September 27, 2005)