Premier Wen Jiabao has pledged all-out efforts to help Hong Kong and Macau counter the global financial crisis.
Delivering the annual government work report yesterday, the premier said the central government would speed up the construction of cross-border infrastructure such as the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, the rail link between Hong Kong and Shenzhen airports and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong express rail link.
He said the central government would also:
Bring forward the launch of a pilot project allowing trading firms in Hong Kong and Macau to settle deals with counterparts in Guangdong in yuan;
Further open the mainland's service sector to companies in the two special administrative regions (SARs); and
Help Hong Kong and Macau-funded small and medium-sized enterprises on the mainland.