Guangdong eyes liberalization of trade in services by 2014

Governor of China's southern Guangdong Province Zhu Xiaodan makes a speech in Hong Kong, June 30, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

HONG KONG - Governor of China's southern Guangdong Province Zhu Xiaodan said here Saturday that the economic powerhouse is working to achieve liberalization of trade in services with neighboring Hong Kong and Macao by 2014, one year ahead of the other provinces in the mainland.

Guangdong will soon work out an action plan and unveil detailed measures to realize the goal, Zhu told a press conference.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang during his visit to Hong Kong last August said that by implementing the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), liberalization of trade in services would be basically achieved between Hong Kong and the entire mainland by the end of China's 12th five-year development plan for 2011-2015.

In the ninth supplement to CEPA inked here on Friday, there are 17 policies about cooperation between Hong Kong and Guangdong, mainly covering Hong Kong's service industries with competitive advantages, like law, accounting, construction, medicine and education.

With the liberalization of trade in services as the new theme, these policies will help further boost cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong, said Zhu.

"We will strive to realize the liberalization of trade in services between Guangdong and Hong Kong by the end of 2014," he said.

Zhu also announced new policies of the province covering areas of education, environmental protection, medical care and social welfare, with an aim to help improve Hong Kong people's livelihood.

These policies will be detailed and implemented step by step, Zhu added.