DEVB - Strengthening Ties and Co-operation with the Mainland (164)

This Bureau has always been actively promoting exchanges and co-operation in the aspects of technical expertise and management between the construction and engineering related industry of the two places, so as to facilitate the sustainable development of related enterprises and to help local companies grasp the opportunities arising from the rapid economic growth and consistent market liberalisation in the Mainland.

Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forum

This Bureau (the then Works Bureau) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (the then Ministry of Construction) have jointly organised 20 large-scale Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forums (Forum) in different cities in the Mainland since 1997. Exchanges in professional knowledge can be promoted through the Forum and related visits. The Forum has become a major event providing an excellent platform for construction industry stakeholders and professionals of the two places to cultivate network as well as to explore business and co-operation opportunities. These forums have been well received by our stakeholders.

The Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forum 2024 was held from 26 to 27 March in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province. The theme of the Forum was “Deepening the Collaboration of the Construction Industry in the Mainland and Hong Kong, Building a High Quality Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Taking Forward the Belt and Road Initiative Together”. The Forum attracted over 800 industry practitioners from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Government representatives from 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions also attended the Forum. The Hong Kong delegation comprised more than 350 members, including representatives from the construction industry, relevant chambers of commerce and professional institutes.

The Forum attracted over 800 industry practitioners from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

The Forum featured three sessions, namely the opening ceremony and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony, main forum, and the four parallel sessions held on the 2nd day of the event. The topics of the main forum were “The High-quality Development of the Construction Industry, Taking Forward the Belt and Road Initiative Together“, “Adopting of Innovative Technologies in the Construction Industry and Propelling Construction Industry towards New Industrialisation”, and “Advancement of the Internationalisation of National Engineering Construction Standards and the Integration of National and International Markets”. In the parallel sessions, speakers from professional institutions and enterprises of the two places delivered their presentations and gave insightful views respectively for the four topics of “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Construction Technology Innovation and Application Technology”, “Mainland China Construction Market System and Hong Kong Industry Opportunities”, “Professional Technical Exchange Conference on Estate Survey and Cost Consultation”, and “Architecture, Landscape Design, and Urban Planning”. The experience exchange draws on collective wisdom, with a view to enhancing the construction and infrastructure standards of the Greater Bay Area (GBA). After the Forum, technical visits were arranged for the Hong Kong delegation in Guangzhou, enabling the delegates to have a better understanding of the culture, history and economy of Guangzhou and the country’s latest infrastructure development in science and technology.

The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province (DHURDGP) Mr Liu Genghui, signed the Letter of Intent on Strengthening Guangdong-Hong Kong Cooperation in Construction and Related Engineering Sectors on behalf of both sides under the witness of the guests during the opening ceremony of the Forum. The Letter of Intent deepens the co-operation in construction and engineering sectors between Guangdong and Hong Kong on various fronts, including promoting synergistic development of the Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) industry in the GBA to build a Guangdong-Hong Kong industry chain. Going beyond encouraging application, it enhances research and development, quality accreditation and international marketing for MiC. The Letter of Intent supports the joint formulation of GBA standards for technologies and products as well as personnel training in the construction and engineering sectors between Guangdong and Hong Kong. The Letter of Intent also supports the two places to explore further facilitation for relevant Hong Kong enterprises and professionals to set up businesses in GBA Mainland cities; and promote the selection of more suitable GBA projects to adopt Hong Kong's project management model and draw on Hong Kong's international experiences, so as to enhance the quality of construction and project management in the GBA together and foster high-quality development of the GBA.

In addition, industry representatives of Guangdong and Hong Kong signed a number of co-operation agreements, including the Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Hong Kong and the Centre of Science and Technology Industrial Development (CSTID) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), the co-operation agreement between the Construction Industry Council and four training institutes in Guangdong Province, and the joint advocacy statement by construction and engineering associations, institutes and chambers of commerce from the two places.

Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forum 2018

The 2018 Mainland and Hong Kong Construction Forum was held from 23 to 24 July in Guiyang of Guizhou Province. The theme of the forum was “Integrate into the Development of the Country, Facilitate High-quality Development of the Construction Industry”. Over 380 delegates from Mainland and Hong Kong participated in the event. The Hong Kong delegation, led by Mr Michael Wong, the Secretary for Development, comprised more than 150 members, including government officials, Legislative Council Member, representatives from related trade associations and professional institutions, as well as legal professionals.

Mr Michael Wong, the Secretary for Development, delivered a speech at the 2018 Forum’s opening ceremony.

Overview of the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Forum.

The Forum featured three sessions, namely the plenary session, the 3 parallel sessions and the interactive session held on the 2nd day of the forum. The topics of the 3 parallel sessions were "Construction Design and Project Management", "Construction Technology Innovation and Heritage" and "Promoting Assembly Application and Green Building". In these parallel sessions, speakers from professional institutions and enterprises in the industry of the two places delivered their incisive presentations respectively. In the interactive session, there were active discussions between speakers and participants on the topic “Exploring Opportunities in “Belt and Road” and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area”. Speakers and participants gave insightful views in the discussion and this will further help the participants of the two places to gather ideas and jointly grasp the development opportunities of the country and promote the high-quality development of the construction industry.

After the Forum, study visits were arranged for the Hong Kong delegation in Guizhou province, enabling the delegates to have a better understanding of the culture, history and economy of Guizhou province and the country’s latest infrastructure development in science and technology.

In addition, with the aims to enhance co-operation between the construction sectors in Guizhou and Hong Kong and help the two places to integrate into the country’s development as well as to facilitate high-quality development of the construction industry for promoting the “Belt and Road” initiative, Mr Yang Yue-guang，Deputy Director of Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guizhou Province and Mr C K Hon, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) signed the “Agreement of Intent on Co-operation between the Construction Industries in Guizhou and Hong Kong” under the witness of the guests during the opening ceremony of the Forum.

Mr Yang Yue-guang，Deputy Director of the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guizhou Province and Mr C K Hon, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) jointly signed the“Agreement of Intent on Co-operation between the Construction Industries in Guizhou and Hong Kong” during the opening ceremony of the Forum.

Hong Kong's Co-operation with Qianhai, Hengqin and Nansha

This Bureau has successively signed co-operation agreements with the three free trade zones in Guangdong, namely Qianhai of Shenzhen, Hengqin of Zhuhai and Nansha of Guangzhou, with an aim to create more opportunities for Hong Kong's enterprises and professionals of the construction and related sectors.

For Qianhai, this Bureau and the Qianhai Authority signed a “Letter of Intent on Collaboration” on 16 September 2013, so as to allow Hong Kong's relevant professionals and companies direct providing services in Qianhai.

On 16 September 2013, the Development Bureau and the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen signed the "Letter of Intent on Collaboration at the Hong Kong/Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference.

On 29 February 2016, this Bureau signed the "Co-operation Arrangement for Trial Implementation of Hong Kong Construction Model in Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen" ("Co-operation Arrangement") with the Qianhai Authority and the Housing and Construction Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality.

On 29 February 2016, the Development Bureau, the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen and the Housing and Construction Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality signed the Co-operation Arrangement at the Hong Kong/Shenzhen Co-operation Meeting.

On 29 June 2016, Qianhai promulgated a register of Hong Kong's professional firms jointly compiled with this Bureau. The register includes companies of architecture, building services, quantity surveying and structural engineering, which may provide direct services for projects funded by Hong Kong businesses in Qianhai.

The Development Bureau led members of the professional sectors to visit Qianhai.

Qianhai has also set up a registration system to allow the registered Hong Kong professionals direct providing services for projects wholly or principally funded by Hong Kong businesses in Qianhai.

In addition, Qianhai has so far selected six projects developed by Hong Kong companies as pilot projects to introduce the project management systems of Hong Kong, and allowing Hong Kong professionals and institutions of the construction and related engineering sectors to directly provide professional services to these projects.

On 31 August 2023, this Bureau and the Qianhai Authority further signed a “Letter of Intent on Collaboration” (2023 Edition), with the aim of further enhancing the exchanges and co-operation between enterprises and professionals in architectural and engineering industries in the two places, fostering high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

For Hengqin, this Bureau signed a co-operation agreement with the Hengqin Management Committee on 25 August 2017. A working group has been formed to explore the extension of the co-operation and liberalisation measures being implemented in Qianhai to Hengqin.

Furthermore, Hengqin has selected two projects developed by Hong Kong companies as pilot projects to introduce the project management systems of Hong Kong. They will continue to discuss with this Bureau on issues related to the compilation of a register of Hong Kong's professional firms and the establishment of a registration system for Hong Kong’s professionals. For Nansha, this Bureau and the Administrative Committee of the Nansha Area of Guangzhou signed the "Cooperation Agreement between the Administrative Committee of the Nansha Area of Guangzhou of China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the Development Bureau” (Corporation Agreement) on 24 September 2019. Both sides will establish a co-operation mechanism, enhance information exchange, and promote collaboration and interaction of enterprises and professionals of the construction and related sectors in Hong Kong and Nansha.

This Bureau will continue to communicate with Qianhai, Hengqin and Nansha to help the construction and related engineering industry grasp business opportunities in the development of the three free trade zones.

Hong Kong's Co-operation with Shanghai

To further establish a clear direction for future co-operation between the two places and to expand co-operation between the two places in different fields, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, and the Mayor of Shanghai, Mr Gong Zheng, led the delegations of the governments of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Shanghai respectively to hold the Sixth Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Conference (the plenary) in Hong Kong on 26 April 2024. This Bureau and corresponding Shanghai departments signed a “Letter of Intent to strengthen co-operation in urban planning and construction management between Shanghai and Hong Kong” and a “Letter of Intent to strengthen co-operation in total water management between Shanghai and Hong Kong”, with the aim of strengthening exchange and co-operation between the two places comprehensively in respect of urban construction and management, as well as water management. The agreements were signed by Ms Bernadette Linn, the Secretary for Development and Mr Hu Guangjie, the Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (Housing and Development Commission), and Mr Shi Jiaming, the Director General of the Shanghai Water Authority (SWA).

Hong Kong's Co-operation with Foshan

This Bureau and the Guangdong Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development jointly organised the “Nanhai of Foshan & Hong Kong – Innovation Forum-cum-Business Matching Meeting on Construction Engineering and Management Services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao High-end Services Demonstration Zone” on 20 August 2019. The event, with the theme of deepening co-operation to facilitate high quality development of the construction industry, aimed to explore how to fully leverage the innovative, professional and technical edges of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to facilitate collaboration and interaction of construction industry stakeholders in Guangdong and Hong Kong. In the Forum, construction enterprises and professionals of both sides shared their valuable experience in a variety of areas, including project planning, design, construction management and dispute resolution. The organisers also arranged for some Mainland enterprises to discuss collaboration opportunities with their Hong Kong counterparts on projects in Foshan.

Hong Kong's Co-operation with Fujian

On 31 December 2014, the Fujian Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (FDHURD) promulgated the "Notice on Management of Registration and Practice in Fujian Province of Hong Kong Professionals who have Obtained the Mainland’s Professional Qualifications of Registered Architects and Registered Surveying and Design Engineers " and the "Notice on Management of Registration and Practice in Fujian Province for Hong Kong Professionals who have Obtained Mainland's Professional Qualification of Supervision Engineers ", allowing the related Hong Kong professionals to register and practice in Fujian Province. Subsequently, Fujian adopted extended the implementation of majority of other pilot liberalisation measures already in place in Guangdong to Fujian according to the "Agreement on Trade in Services" signed under the CEPA framework on 27 November 2015.

On 7 April 2017, the FDHURD promulgated the "Provisional Administrative Measures on the Qualification of Construction and Engineering Design Enterprises in Fujian Province Employing Hong Kong Professionals", allowing construction and engineering design enterprises in Fujian Province to employ Hong Kong architects/structural engineers with the corresponding Mainland's Class 1 qualifications to be regarded as registered practitioners in applying for the qualification of the enterprise.

Hong Kong's Co-operation with Guangxi

This Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region ("the Department") signed an "Agreement of Intent on Co-operation between the Construction Industries in Guangxi and Hong Kong" in Hong Kong on 15 December 2015.

The agreement aims at setting up a co-operation mechanism for the design of major projects, fostering exchange of professionals and collaboration in building design technology in the construction industry, and promoting partnership in the development of green buildings and heritage conservation. This Bureau wishes to strengthen the co-operation of construction and related services sector between the two places through this agreement.

The then Secretary for Development, Mr Paul Chan (back row, first right); the then Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Raymond Tam (back row, second left); the Vice Governor of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Zhang Xiaoqin (back row, first left); and the Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Sun Xiangyi (back row, second right), witnessed the signing of the agreement by the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Hon Chi-keung (front row, left), and the Deputy Director of the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Feng Ning (front row, right)

Before the signing ceremony, the Department held a seminar to introduce the recent development of construction projects and the future planning of Guangxi to representatives from the Hong Kong construction and related engineering industry.

According to the "Agreement on Trade in Services" signed under the CEPA Framework on 27 November 2015, the Department issued five documents in September 2016, announcing the implementation details of extending the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalisation measures for the Hong Kong’s construction and related professional services sectors to Guangxi with immediate effect.

On 22 May 2024, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the 2024 Hong Kong promotion conference on building Guangxi into important strategic hinterland of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and major projects signing ceremony. Mr Ricky Lau, Permanent Secretary (Works) of this Bureau and Mr Yang Lufeng, the Director General of the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region signed an “Agreement of Intent on Co-operation between the Construction Industries in Guangxi and Hong Kong” (2024 Edition), with the aim of enhancing the exchanges and co-operation between enterprises and professionals in engineering industries in the two places, building a close, stable, and comprehensive cooperative relationship between the two places.

Hong Kong's Co-operation with Sichuan

Under the principles of equality, mutual benefits and win-win co-operation, this Bureau and the Sichuan Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development ("SDHURD") signed a "Co-operation Agreement on Construction and Related Engineering Services" in Chengdu on 24 May 2012, so as to strengthen the co-operation between both sides in construction and related sectors in various areas, including management of construction works, construction and engineering technology, professional training and business operation. The agreement was signed by Mr Wai Chi-sing, the then Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) and Mr Yang Hongbo, the then Director of SDHURD.

Mr Wai Chi-sing, the then Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), and Mr Yang Hongbo, the then Director of SDHURD, signed the "Co-operation Agreement on Construction and Related Engineering Services" in Chengdu.

After signing the agreement, this Bureau and the SDHURD co-organised the Sichuan/Hong Kong Workshop on Energy Saving Construction from 3 to 4 June 2013 in Chengdu to enable professionals of the two places to exchange views on the latest technology and experience of energy-efficient construction. This Bureau and the SDHURD invited 21 guest speakers to deliver speeches and conduct interactive discussions with the workshop participants on topics such as rules and regulations, energy-efficient construction technology and works supervision measures. Over 50 professionals from Hong Kong and Sichuan participated in the workshop. The participants also visited two energy-efficient construction projects in Chengdu.

The Development Bureau and SDHURD co-organised a two-day Sichuan/Hong Kong Workshop on Energy Saving Construction in Chengdu in June 2013.

Exchange of Information between Mainland and Hong Kong

In order to strengthen information exchange and dissemination of works tendering information and construction-related regulations and policies of the two places, we have reached agreements with the relevant Mainland authorities to establish hyper linkage between each other's website. Please click here to view relevant links.