Joseph W P Wong, secretary for civil service of the Hong Kong SAR, Thursday received the four professional officers and briefed them about the structure of the Hong Kong SAR government, the mode of operation and the management of the civil service.

As the first batch of officers under the program, the Shanghai officials were seconded from Shanghai Construction and Administration Commission, Shanghai Municipal Engineering Administration Department, Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau and Shanghai Waste Administrative Division.

During their stay in Hong Kong, they will be attached to the Architectural Services Department, Environmental Protection Department and Highways Department to study and exchange expertise in the relevant professional fields.

The Staff Exchange Program was proposed by Joseph Wong during his visit to Beijing in April 2001, to the State Council's the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office.

The exchange of professional officers between the mainland and the Hong Kong SAR under the program will help widen exposure, share experience and expertise on professional management, and foster partnership and communication between both parties.

The Civil Service Bureau later signed an agreement with the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government on July 30, 2002.

The agreement stipulated that from 2002 to 2005, the Civil Service Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government will arrange at least one exchange program each year for not more than five professional officers to attach to the other government for experience sharing. Each exchange program will last for three to six months.

Four senior professional officers of the Architectural Services Department, Environmental Protection Department and Highways Department of the Hong Kong SAR government, have been seconded to the Shanghai Municipal government for the first exchange program in September 2002.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2002)