Officials from China's mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will discuss in Beijing next week the proposal to establish an "entity similar to a free trade zone" between the two, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) announced in Beijing on Friday.
Anthony Leung Kam-Chung, Hong Kong Financial Secretary, will lead a delegation and hold the discussion with An Min, vice-minister of MOFTEC, next Friday.
Topics for discussion include the mode and channel for discussion as well as the principle and contents of discussion, according to the MOFTEC.
The proposal was first put forward by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Tung Chee-hwa.
(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2002)