South China's booming city Shenzhen is moving to create a "metropolis rim" with its neighbor Hong Kong to promote the joint development of the two cities in the Pearl River Delta area.

The Municipal People's Congress of Shenzhen passed its 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10) Sunday, which attaches strategic importance to the establishment of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong metropolis rim for the first time.

It will be formed in light of the framework of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), the Pan-Pearl River Cooperation Mechanism and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Agreement, said Monday's China Daily.

According to the plan, the city will build seven more checkpoints along the border to serve the development of Hong Kong in the next five years. They will be located at Shenzhen Bay, Futian, Liantang, Dachan Bay, Shayuchong Port, Nan'ao Port and Longhua Railway Station.

Currently, Luohu and Huanggang are the two main checkpoints among a current total of five.

Statistics from Shenzhen Ports Administration Office indicate that Shenzhen handled 159 million entries and exits last year, with a daily average of 437,000. The figure represented an increase of 6.1 percent over 2004 and accounted for 53 percent of the nation's total.

In the next five years, Shenzhen will continue to improve its checkpoint infrastructure and management coordination to match the long-term strategy of Hong Kong, according to the plan.

It will actively carry out measures for passengers on both sides to make convenient entries and exits at the checkpoints. It will also simplify the customs formalities for vehicles to pass the checkpoints.

The city will push forward the customs system reform at ports as well.

The program also outlines how Shenzhen will actively strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Hong Kong in the fields of infrastructure construction, environmental protection, culture, education and science.

At the same time of serving Hong Kong's needs, Shenzhen is also planning to build itself into an important regional international city within 15 years.

It will invest 38.5 billion yuan (4.79 billion U.S. dollars) to extend its subway lines during the period. By 2009, Metro Line 1 will be extended directly to the airport.

The city will build a new railway station, according to the program, with detailed plans having already been drawn up. Construction is expected to be completed by 2010.

Source: Xinhua