Major Landmarks in Pan-Pearl River Delta Cooperation
July, 2003: Guangdong provincial government first proposes the concept of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation.
August 8-9: 2003: Joint meeting of directors of the planning commissions of the nine relevant inland provinces/ autonomous region held. Zhong Yangsheng, executive vice-governor of Guangdong, makes a speech. Attendees discuss basis ideas, development goals and measures for regional cooperation and reach a memorandum of common understanding. After the meeting Zhang Dejiang, secretary of the CPC committee of Guangdong Province, writes and issues main action points emanating from the meeting.
September, 2003: Guangdong provincial CPC secretary Zhang Dejiang, governor Huang Huahua and executive vice-governor Zhong Yangsheng write their comments on the Report on Accelerating the Formation and Development of Pan Pearl River Delta Economic Sphere issued by the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission and agree to suggestions therein.
October 9, 2003: Science and education departments of the nine provinces/ autonomous regions hold the National Regional Innovation System Construction Work Meeting in Foshan City, Guangdong Province.
October 10, 2003: First joint conference of information administrators of PPRD members held in Guangdong. Common understanding on e-business reached.
November 11, 2003: Second PPRD Innovation and Cooperation Conference held in Guangdong, and the PPRD Regional Science and Technological Innovation Cooperation Framework Agreement initiated.
November 28-29, 2003: PPRD Transportation Development Seminar held in Guangdong, and the 2003 PPRD and Chongqing Municipality Highway Transportation Cooperation and Development Agreement signed. Guangdong Provincial Communications Department sign Inter-Provincial Highway Planning and Construction memorandums with Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hainan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
December 2, 2003: First Pearl River Regional Economic Cooperation Forum opens in Guangzhou.
December 4, 2003: Guangdong provincial government discusses and basically approves a proposal to hold the PPRD Product Exhibition and Economic and Technology Fair, and to hold the PPRD Regional Cooperation and Development Forum.
January 2, 2004: Guangdong provincial government writes to the State Development and Reform Commission and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and the Development Research Center of the State Council, asking for more guidance on enhancing PPRD regional cooperation and development. The relevant government departments respond, expressing their willingness to support and promote PPRD regional cooperation, and agreeing to serve as guiding organizations for the PPRD Regional Cooperation and Development Forum.
February 20, 2004: Secretary-generals of the nine provinces/autonomous region and directors of their development and reform commissions hold a seminar, discuss and pass the work plan on cooperation implementation proposed by the Guangdong provincial government.
March 6-7, 2004: Guangdong provincial CPC secretary Zhang Dejiang and governor Huang Huahua meet with Hong Kong SAR chief executive Tung Chee Hwa and Macao SAR executive chief Ho Hau-wah in Beijing. They reach a common understanding to promote PPRD regional cooperation and decide to hold the PPRD Regional Cooperation and Development Forum in June, in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
March 18, 2004: Guangzhou Municipal Academy of Social Sciences holds the Guangzhou-Foshan Economic Sphere and the PPRD Summit Forum in Foshan. The same day, PPRD City Investment Promotion Institution Development Seminar held in Guangzhou.
March 30-31, 2004: Second PPRD Economic Sphere Information Industry Officer Joint Conference held in Changsha, Hunan Province.
April 7, 2004: PPRD City Cooperation and Development Summit and 2002-2003 Chinese City Development Report press conference held in Foshan, Guangdong Province.
April 8 and April 29, 2004: Preparatory PPRD Regional Cooperation and Development Forum meetings held in Guangzhou.
May 20, 2004: PPRD Regional Cooperation and Development Forum Organizing Committee meeting held in Guangzhou.
June 1-3, 2004: PPRD Regional Cooperation and Development Forum held in Hong Kong, Macao and Guangzhou, unveiling implementation of PPRD regional cooperation. Zhang Dejiang, Guangdong provincial CPC secretary of Guangdong Province, makes a speech entitled Cooperate, Develop and Create a Future Together. Leaders of related central government departments express willingness to support and guide PPRD regional cooperation. Provincial governors, autonomous regional chairman and Hong Kong and Macao chief executives sign the PPRD Regional Cooperation Framework Agreement.
June 18, 2004: Organizing Committee meeting of PPRD Regional Economic and Trade Cooperation Talks held in Guangzhou.