Hong Kong Planning Department and neighbor Shenzhen's Development and Reform Bureau agreed Wednesday to appoint liaison officers to facilitate the coordination and exchange of future planning and regional development information.

A press release from the Information Services Department of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said representatives from Hong Kong and Shenzhen attended a sharing session Wednesday in Shenzhen to exchange views on strategic and comprehensive transport planning.

Both sides considered the cooperation in cross-boundary transport infrastructure as the foundation to drive further socio-economic integration of the two places. They agreed there is a need to strengthen cooperation and information exchange between the two places.

At Wednesday's sharing session, Shenzhen officials introduced the overall planning rationale and research basis of the Shenzhen 11th five-year plan (2006-2010), and its economic development, industrial structure as well as transport and infrastructural facilities. They also introduced the development plans of ports and boundary control points.

Hong Kong officials introduced Hong Kong's future development directions including the opportunities and constraints in developing the Frontier Closed Area at the boundary of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and ideas on Hong Kong's cross-boundary transport infrastructure development.

(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2007)