The government should set up investment companies to help Shenzhen build infrastructure to open up the border area to business and industry, the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong said yesterday.
The seven DAB lawmakers, including chairman Tsang Yok-sing, spoke to Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen on several economic issues.
The party's economic spokesman, Chan Kam-lan, said they had asked him to improve co-operation with Shenzhen.
'The government should work with the Shenzhen government to develop a large-scale, well-equipped new border economic zone,' Mr Chan said.
He said the government had a crucial role to play in pushing co-operation between Hong Kong and mainland enterprises under the framework of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. 'Hong Kong enterprises, especially those providing professional services, should be able to deal directly with mainland clients without the need to set up branches on the mainland, and vice versa,' he said.
The budget deficit also came in for scrutiny, with the DAB saying that one way to reduce it would be to adjust the 'excessive' salaries of the 10 highest-paid public officials.
