Hong Kong and Guangdong have agreed on the establishment of a notification system to enhance their co-operation in food safety.

The agreement was reached Wednesday during the Eighth Plenary of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference which was attended by Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Donald Tsang, according to a government press release.

Tsang was quoted as saying that he and Governor Huang reviewed the progress of co-operation over the past year and discussed the way forward.

Both sides attached importance to public concern over food safety and would strengthen co-operation, he said.

According to Tsang, both sides will designate officers to make enquires and notify the other side of issues related to inspection and quarantine of animals and plants, and food safety. They will organize meetings on a regular basis or on a need-to basis for exchange of views on major food incidents and policies.

Tsang said the "one-truck one-driver" rule will be relaxed, and the duration of the cross-boundary joint venture contract of freight vehicles will be extended from three years to six.

Both sides are working towards the completion of the Shenzhen Bay Control Point for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor and the control point for the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line.

Co-location arrangements like clearance services for both sides in the same premises will be implemented at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point to provide greater convenience to travelers and drivers, Tsang said.

The two sides will also implement the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Management Plan to achieve emission reduction targets by 2010. The air-quality monitoring network has already passed the acceptance test.

Both sides agreed to make preparatory arrangements for reporting to the public the Regional Air Quality Index daily by year's end.

On the preparatory work for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, Tsang said Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao have reached a consensus on the landing points for it.

The feasibility study on the project has been largely completed, he said, adding that the findings are being assessed by the three parties, which will also discuss the next step to be taken with a view to expediting the project.

Source: Xinhua