Shenzhen Party secretary Li Hongzhong and Mayor Xu Zongheng revealed the newly formed government's ambition to further the city's development at a news conference on the eve of the 25th birthday of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone on Aug. 17.

"We should be bolder in reform, be more innovative and open wider to make the special economic zone distinctly special," said Li.

"We feel glad to see the whole nation is prospering, but we're also under pressure as we have to live up to our spearhead role in reform as required by the Central Government," elaborated Li.

The city would forge closer ties with Hong Kong, lift the quality and efficiency of its opening-up policy, develop its culture industry and draw on the experience of other fast-developing cities such as Shanghai and Suzhou, said the city's top leaders.

The city government planned to pay a second visit to Hong Kong within this year, to meet with the HKSAR government to beef up strategic planning for better cooperation and improved competitiveness, Xu said.

"We will serve Hong Kong, learn form Hong Kong and prosper with Hong Kong eventually," said Xu.

Li led a government delegation to Hong Kong and signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with the SAR government in June last year.

Under the agreement, the two governments had held 11 unofficial talks, expanding the span of cooperation from infrastructure construction and trade to education, finance, technology, tourism and environment protection, Xu said.

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong relationship has always palyed an important part in the mainland city's opening up. The first foreign-invested company, and about 60 percent of all foreign investment in Shenzhen has come from Hong Kong.

A window to China's process of opening up, the city has developed an export-oriented economy for the past 25 years. Now it would be more selective, and seek only high-quality foreign investment, Xu said.

It would aim to lure regional headquarters, manufacturing processes with high added value, research and development centers, and multinational firm procurement centers, Xu said.

The city would also launch fully-fledged international exchange activities and cooperation in the social and cultural field, Xu said, referring to its bid for the 2011 Universiade, the city's hosting of the international cultural industry fair, and the launch of the English-speaking campaign and last-year's Sino-French week.

Source:Shenzhen Daily