Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen dismissed as 'conventional thinking' a suggestion that Hong Kong or another party play a leadership role to give the Pan-Pearl River Delta Co-operation and Development Forum more direction, saying that each partner can lead in areas where it is strong.
In Hong Kong's case, it has identified financial, logistics and professional services as areas where it can lead Macau and the nine southern provinces - Guangdong, Fujian , Jiangxi , Hunan , Guangxi , Guizhou , Yunnan and Hainan - in the so-called 9+2 group.
'What we have is a group of 11 authorities representing different interests and each one of us has our own strengths,' Mr Tsang said.
'What we need to do is to ensure that we deliver what we believe is the best we can offer in this co-operation so that we can encourage ... regional development on one hand and benefit our own economy on the other.'
Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences scholar Ding Li has called for Hong Kong and Guangdong to give the 9+2 grouping direction and a push forward.
Mr Tsang said Hong Kong would take initiatives in its three top fields, such as leading a delegation to Fujian to promote financial services and following it up with a forum in Hong Kong next March. Other provinces would take the lead in other areas.
