http://glovis.usgs.gov/ImgViewer/l7/p122/r044/y2003/LE7122044000301050.jpg

wow....beautiful...

when was it taken??

seems a bit dated

:D

i edited it

http://photos.gznet.com/photos/1206571/1206571-hCfnOKgmgH.jpg

shenzhen grows bigger

http://forum.xinhuanet.com/transfile?id=00368BF8.002F

looks perfect:guns1:

Wow! Now those are CITIES! :eek:
Concrete :naughty: mmmm...

Is the grey area indicate cities/town, or area where people live?
If so, HongKong looks small, but there are grey areas that are above Shenzhen. It is not included into Shenzhen, right?
What is that, then?

yup,the dirts are urbanized areas of the PRD,the PRD region is actully a huge metropolis of 45 million people

some PRD shots

Chang'an town

http://forum.xinhuanet.com/transfile?id=003EF548.002C


unknown place

http://www.anewfocus.net/pearlriver2002/pics/pearlriver2002-12.jpg

Changpin town,a bit old

http://www.changping.gov.cn/pp/055.gif

Wow, cool pic! I have no idea Hong Kong airport is that big, I can see it from the space.:)

it is a quite very very dense area, but still, it's hard to call the whole deal, from macau through zuhai and zhongshan and guangzhou and dongguang and shenzhen to hong kong a 'metropolis' ... its like those who call new york-philadelphia a metro. , even worse.. its like calling beijing-tianjin a metro, shanghai-hangzhou, the 'nagoya-kyoto-osaka metrolpolis' next thing the whole world's a metorpolis !
the whole pearl river delta vicinty can't be a metro area, it's a 100KM between HK and Guangzhou !

Wooow...amazing pics!!!! :okay: :okay: :colgate:

Originally posted by beivushtang

it is a quite very very dense area, but still, it's hard to call the whole deal, from macau through zuhai and zhongshan and guangzhou and dongguang and shenzhen to hong kong a 'metropolis' ... its like those who call new york-philadelphia a metro. , even worse.. its like calling beijing-tianjin a metro, shanghai-hangzhou, the 'nagoya-kyoto-osaka metrolpolis' next thing the whole world's a metorpolis !
the whole pearl river delta vicinty can't be a metro area, it's a 100KM between HK and Guangzhou !

yes, but the sat pic shows more density continuous urban area than NY-Boston.

Guangzhou plans twin towers

Latest Updated by 2004-02-25 14:55:30
The Guangzhou Municipal Government planned to build two skyscrapers in the Pearl River New Town, Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guangning said Monday (Feb. 23).

The Guangzhou Municipal Government was seeking investors for the two 530-meter-tall buildings, which would cost about 10 billion yuan (US$1.2b), said the mayor. The two buildings would be multi-functional complexes with restaurants, commerce centers and hotels.

At a seminar on the development of the Greater Pearl River Delta that closed Sunday, an official revealed that Guangzhou was speeding up preparation work for the construction of the core area of Pearl River New Town.

Li Hongwei, deputy director of Guangzhou's city design bureau, said planned constructions in the core area included a citizen's square, an opera house, a children's palace, a provincial museum, a city library and two skyscrapers. Construction would start in 2005 or 2006, he said.

The 6.5-square-kilometer Pearl River New Town is an important part of Guangzhou's central business district (CBD), which is expected to be completed in 15 years and accommodate 180,000 residents.

In 1993, Guangzhou planned to build Pearl River New City into a modern financial and commercial center before 2003, said the Southern Metropolitan News.

However, at the end of 2001, about two thirds of the land sold in the area was still vacant.

Zero-tariff goods prevailed in 'Macao Street', Zhuhai
Latest Updated by 2004-04-07 17:19:37
Related Special: >>Guangdong and CEPA

Zero-tariff Macao-made goods under CEPA is sold in 'Macao Street', a flourishing biz street in Zhuhai with South Europe style architectures, Portugal and Macao featuring booths.

The implementation of CEPA and the zero tariff policy it brings attract Macao people to start biz in Zhuhai, with Ling Wanyi as the first one, registering his food shop in Wanzai, Zhuhai selling Portugal and Macao food.

By now, more than 60 bizs, including some well-known brands from mainland, Macao and Hong Kong have entered this market. And it also provides over 200 employment opportunities to the local people.

A zooming architecture, which is about 1/3 of Ruin of St. Paul in Macao, was built at the entrance of the biz street. In addition, a big plaza with an area of several thousand square meters shows the similar style with Macao Municipality Plaza.

The Macao-style street become a new must-visit place in Zhuhai for domestic and overseas tourists.

Benefited from the policy of Zero-tariff, Wanzai aims to build as the administration and business center of Nanwan, a district of Zhuhai, as well as the back garden of bonded district and technology park.

High-speed rail to connect cities
Latest Updated by 2004-03-03 09:54:13
A high-speed railway connecting Guangzhou, the provincial capital, to Zhuhai Special Economic Zone, which borders Macao, will be built by South China's Guangdong Province.

Construction of the 140-kilometre track will begin this year, Yang Tusheng, general manager of Guangdong Railway Group, said Tuesday, adding that the 20.8 billion yuan (US$2.51 billion) project will be completed by 2007.

The province and the Ministry of Railway will equally share the cost of construction.

Yang said his group is in talks with companies from the United States, Germany, France and Japan to import technologies and equipment for the project, which will not use the expensive magnetic-levitation option.

It will take about 40 minutes for the train journey compared with the two hours needed for a car ride on the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Expressway.

The project, which is expected to be extended to Macao in the future, will have 14 stations and link major cities and towns in the western part of the prosperous Pearl River Delta.

Trains will leave every eight minutes from each end and the journey will cost about 50 yuan US$6) -- about the same as the current bus fare.

The line will be able to handle more than 250,000 passengers a day by 2011 and 775,000 by 2033.

The link is just one part of the railway network the government plans for the Pearl River Delta area -- invest more than 108 billion yuan (US$13 billion) to link Guangzhou with major cities in the delta.

Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua said the province will build nine inter-city railway tracks covering more than 930 kilometres before 2020.

About 60 billion yuan (US$7.17 billion) will be invested by 2010 to build 330 kilometres.

In addition to the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Railway, construction of high-speed railway projects connecting Guangzhou to Shenzhen and Dongguan in the eastern part of the delta will start before 2010.

Domestic and overseas companies are encouraged to participate in the building and management of the projects.

New Baiyun Airport to "fly" on June 28
Latest Updated by 2004-04-22 15:54:02
The new Guangzhou Biayun International Airport has its final checking by experts from the Civil Aviation Administration of China today (April 22nd), and is planned to start operation on June 28th this year.

After this three-day checking, the airport will organize a series of test-flies and drilling-flies to ensure its smooth formal operation in June.

The current operating Baiyun airport will be closed as soon as the new airport starts operation.

A public bidding for the stores in the airport will be finished by mid May, source releases.

Any more details about the twin towers?

And why did the thread suddenly turn into a general news thread? You wish to change the title?

its all news about the PRD :D

no more info on the towers.. but sounds pie in the sky... there are several empty buildings in downtown tianhe in gz right now... but if the govt is backing it then it may happen.... but will be a long way off..

Ok...so would you want to rename the thread?

530m, thats damn huge :eek:

if you have some renderings please post them

Rail service to expand
Latest Updated by 2004-04-05 08:46:08
The Guangzhou-Kowloon express rail service will run on the hour with two more trips to be added April 18, Guangshen Railway Co. Ltd., sources said.

This would take the number of express trains on the route to 12 a day.

The last train departing Guangzhou East Station for Kowloon Hung Hom Station will leave at 21:23 and the last train from Hung Hom will leave at 19:15.

The number of express trains stopping at Dongguan Station will be increased to 17 from 12, the sources said.

The Guangzhou-Kowloon express rail service was first introduced on April 4, 1979 and the number of trains running continued to grow with increasing demand.

The opening of the Guangzhou-Kowloon express rail service has played an important role in promoting cooperation and communications between Guangdong and Hong Kong.

Guangzhou's next city landmark calls for bid
Latest Updated by 2004-04-26 18:46:18
Guangzhou's next city landmark, a television and sightseeing tower, held a press conference yesterday (April 25) and 14 domestic and foreign architecture contractors will compete for the tower design proposal. The design has to convince the judges in two aspects, one is the sightseeing tower itself and the other one is the neighboring area. The tower has the neighboring area of 560,000 square meters, which will include the park, green square, broadcasting center and other public facilities. Director of Guangzhou city programming bureau Pan an indicated at the conference that, the tower does not have the building height and budget limit and thus bidding companies has the freest imagination to design the tower. He also said, the estimated 1.2-billion budget is only for reference.

Tower waits for smart idea
Latest Updated by 2004-03-26 10:43:57
Guangzhou is seeking brilliant designers across the world for a new landmark building, a sightseeing tower.

A notice recently issued by Guangzhou's planning bureau invites well-known designers world-wide to participate in designing the tower which is estimated to cost of 1.5 billion yuan.

To be situated on the south bank of the Pearl River, the tower will be the focal point of the new Guangzhou cultural center's 12-kilometer central line which connects Guangzhou Railway Station, Pearl River New Town, Guangdong Museum in the north and new Guangzhou Passenger Port in the south.

The tower would be designed as a tourist attraction.

It would be expected to be a profitable investment as well being a new landmark. Sources from Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group said, the 486-meter Shanghai tower, the world's third tallest TV tower, generated revenue of 80 million yuan in tourism and sightseeing only.

In addition to the tower, a 56.6-hectare area of land around the base is to be included the landscape design.

According to the notice, design companies will be paid 350,000 yuan if their entries passed preliminary assessment. Winning entries will be paid an additional 250,000 yuan. The successful bid will be paid design fees of no more than 3 percent of the total construction cost, around 45 million yuan.

Just look at all that alluvium pouring into the sea! :D

it really looks like a metropolis!!

its not one metro area... all the cities are seperated by rural areas... except sz and hk...

but still an impressive area... and the industrial powerhouse of china !!

Many cities have districts and sattelite towns that divide it into separate sections with different names. This is one of such examples. So yes, it is a metropolis.

it makes it many metropolisis.......

not one giant one... the cities are distinct... and are seperate cities with farmland and undeveloped land between them and are administered by seperate authorities...
however gz and foshan are integrating more now, even their public transport will use the same smart card..

Okay, not sure how it works in China, but in Russia there is a "metropolitan" and "metropolian towns", metropolis being the whole thing (like Moscow and its sattelite towns). In other words, to be short, metropolian town is a small city that is located very close to the large city and is a sattelite town. It kinda works like a district, only the difference is that you have some undeveloped land between the city and the metropolian towns. Many people live in those small towns, but work in the big city every day (Zelenograd - Moscow). The small and big cities are linked by various transportation systems, the one most widely used in Russia is the electric train system, called "electrichka". These are high-speed electric trains that operate between the main city and its sattelite towns. In any way, you get the idea. On a sattelite pic the whole thing in fact looks like a giant city, while in reality it's a metropolis. This is the definition :yes:

So again, to give an example:

Moscow => "metropolitan"
Zelenograd, Khimki, Mitishi, etc, etc.. => "metropolian towns"

Moscow + Zelenograd, Khimki, Mitishi, etc.. => "metropolis"

So when I say "Moscow" I mean Moscow city alone (its core), but when I say "Moscow Metropolis" I mean Moscow and its metropolian towns.
I think you just got the definition wrong :)

9+2+7首腦聚港 泛珠三角合作啟動在即
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

2004-05-23 04:44:18
據香港文匯報報道，綜合本報珠三角新聞中心及北京新聞中心消息，據權威人士透露，將于6月1日在港拉開序幕的「泛珠三角區域合作與發展論壇」，得到了中共最高層領導的全力支持，即將成為新中國有史以來一次最具規模和最具實質內容的區域經濟合作會議，也將是香港有史以來所舉辦的一次最高規格及影響深遠的區域內經濟合作論壇。

據悉，此次會議由于有國家主席胡錦濤的親自批示，泛珠三角9省的省長將全部到港，國家7個部委，包括國家發改委、國務院港澳辦、商務部、交通部、鐵道部、國家旅游局、國務院發展研究中心均將派部長或主管實際工作的副部長出席，形成了前所未有的9+2+7格局。該次論壇的主題是「合作發展，共創未來」，9省省長和香港特首董建華、澳門特首何厚鏵及國家7部委部長的演講全部安排在香港，意味著泛珠三角合作的重頭戲將在香港上演。

與會高官逾200

　另據消息來源稱，除相關省的省長以及交通部部長張春賢、國務院港澳辦副主任陳佐洱等國務院7個部門的高官將親臨峰會，發表演講，為「泛珠三角」區域合作與發展獻計獻策外，各省對應職能部門的高層領導都被要求出席論壇，預計與會官員將超過200人，參與報道的內地記者超過60人。


　據透露，9+2+7的首腦將分別在高峰會上發表約10分鐘的講話，從各自地區及部門的角度為「泛珠三角」區域合作與發展提出思路和實施重點。即將與會的有關人士表示，雖然部長們的講話限定在10分鐘左右，但相信帶給與會者的都是具有實質內容的政策要點，份量十足。而峰會必將涉及議題，相信將包括「泛珠三角」區域整合、港珠澳大橋等兩地大型基建項目、落實cepa商機等香港人最關切的內容。


穗簽署合作框架協議


　有消息稱，中央部委以及來自9個省的高官將首先在深圳集中，然後到港。初訂下榻于香港會展中心旁的君悅酒店。該論壇6月2日將移至澳門旅游觀光塔舉行，澳門特首何厚鏵將發表重要演講，當天主題是探討港澳與泛珠三角9省的合作，論壇發言主角將是港澳產業界、商業界的要人和學術界名人，9+2的行政首腦將到會傾听學術界和工商界對泛珠三角合作的見解。6月3日論壇轉至廣州白天鵝賓館，9+2的最高行政首腦將在泛珠三角政府合作框架協議上簽字，合作協議的簽署將宣告泛珠三角政府間的區域合作正式形成，協議將為9+2泛珠三角合作提供制度保障。協議簽署完畢後9+2的最高行政首腦將集體接受媒體的采訪。


經貿洽談會取消


　據悉，原定與論壇同步舉行的9+2泛珠三角經貿洽談會，由于籌備時間太緊而取消。


　「9+2泛珠三角」包括廣東、廣西、海南、雲南、四川、貴州、湖南、江西、福建和香港、澳門特區，有200萬平方公里，人口佔全國的1/3，面積佔1/5，9+2的gdp佔中國的42%，有評論認為，泛珠三角形成將令該地區對外國財團的吸引力達到空前程度，他們會在這里看到廣闊的發展空間與市場，而泛珠三角的形成也將對長三角的發展形成強有力的挑戰，兩個大三角的競爭和相互促進勢將升級。

Framework Accord Inked in Guangzhou to Push Pan-Pearl Delta Cooperation

Nine interior provinces and autonomous region signed a framework agreement on promoting regional cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao Thursday in Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong Province, declaring the formal appearance of the country's largest-scale cross-regional economy.

The Framework Agreement on Regional Cooperation in the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) region involves nine provinces and autonomous region of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan on the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

The first Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation and Development Forum opened in Hong Kong on Tuesday, continued in theMacao Special Administrative Region on Wednesday and ended Thursday in Guangzhou.

The agreement makes the PPRD region China's largest cross-regional economy, well surpassing the Yangtze River Delta, the Bohai Bay Economic Rim, the old industrial base in northeast Chinaand its vast western region.

The nine provinces and autonomous region account for about one fifth of China's territory and one third of its population and total gross domestic product. Analysts here say the participation of Hong Kong and Macao into the regional economic affairs will help advance China's regional integration to a new height.

According to the agreement, the PPRD members will fully cooperate on fields like energy sharing, infrastructure development, cross-province investment, business and trade, tourism, agriculture, labor services, environmental protection andhealth.

The 11 members agreed to establish a joint meeting mechanism tobe attended by provincial governors and chief executives to push for the regional integration and cooperation while governors and chief executives will meet yearly on a regular basis.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2004)

2004年07月12日 16:08

　　花旗、渣打相隔两日在香港开张其全新分支机构，据悉其他世界级金融大鳄也正向着香港加速游来

　　国际先驱导报驻香港记者王健平报道

　　近日，一些国际银行“巨无霸”在香港重组、注册本地银行引起业界的关注。

　　外行“本港化”

　　6月28日，在美国注册成立的花旗银行在香港本地注册了其附属公司，获得了香港金管局的有限制牌照。7月1日，在英国注册的渣打集团，也将其渣打银行香港分行、渣打银行财务(香港)公司、渣打银行资本有限公司以及渣打的银行卡业务“打包”并入刚在香港本地注册的渣打银行(香港)有限公司，该银行也成为香港最新的一家持牌银行。据悉，还有一些大型的跨国银行集团也正在紧锣密鼓地积极筹备香港本地注册的银行。

　　按照cepa的相关规定，香港银行和财务公司在内地设立分行或法人机构，其资产规模要求已从原来的200亿美元降至60亿美元，大幅降低了香港注册金融机构进入内地市场的门槛，为其进入内地提供了良机。

　　原先香港只有汇丰银行、恒生银行、渣打银行、东亚银行和中银香港符合200亿美元资产的门槛资格，但随着资产额放宽到60亿美元后，受惠的中小型银行将增加8家，包括永亨银行、永隆银行、大新银行、工银亚洲、中银香港附属的南洋商业银行、上海商业银行、星展银行旗下的道亨和广安银行等都可进入内地市场。

　　cepa便车

　　较之内地银行，香港银行拥有更现代的管理体系，面对内地庞大的市场，cepa政策将有助于其参与分享内地经济高速增长带来的利益，这无疑为大多数香港银行提供了发展的广大空间。而许多规模较小但现金充裕的香港银行也纷纷采取并购和重组的方式以达到规定规模，更好地享用cepa的优惠。此外，cepa还同时规定降低香港银行内地分行申请经营人民币业务的资格条件，其开业年限要求从3年降至2年；有关盈利性资格的审查业由内地单家分行逐一考核改为多家分行整体考核。这些安排无疑使香港银行比外资银行可更快和更容易获得开办人民币业务的牌照。这也就是说，cepa对香港银行的好处还在于在内地全面开放人民币零售业务之前，能够比外资银行获得更多的时间，汲取难得的市场经验，取得先机。

　　此间专家指出，cepa给予香港的承诺比中国加入wto时的承诺在时间上超前、范围上扩大、限制上减少，因此优势显著。但由于cepa的有关优惠条款只能适用于香港本地注册的银行，所以，许多非香港注册的跨国银行集团为了搭乘cepa的便车，便纷纷通过业务重组、收购或入股香港本地小银行等方式来迅速完成在港“注册”这一问题，以便增加一条进入内地市场的畅快通道。

　　着眼“大珠三角”

　　不过，按cepa的现行规定，企业要在香港注册3年后才能以香港公司的身份享有cepa优惠。花旗、渣打则希望能获得豁免，以便能提早享受到cepa的优惠。

　　渣打银行发言人近日强调在港注册成立附属公司，是集团的中长远计划，也是集团扩展内地市场非常重要的一步。该发言人指出，早前渣打曾提出通过注资或收购来取得cepa的优惠，目前则采取了注资的形式，通过重组注册香港本地银行，因为注资是集团较易控制的方法，而收购则会涉及很多复杂的问题。但即使在港注册成立了公司，渣打仍不会放弃合适的收购机会。渣打的目标是在未来5年通过业务扩展和并购，加强发展香港和“珠三角”的零售银行业务，使其成为“大珠三角”的主要零售行。

　　据有关数据表明，到2003年末，港资银行在内地设立的分行达38家，其中获得人民币牌照的有26家；获得代表处牌照的有26家。而香港金融管理局预计，在cepa的优惠条件下，未来3年港资银行将会在内地再增设20多家新分行。

　　【链接】香港银行体系

　　与内地银行业不同的是，香港银行体系的特点是实行三级制，即持牌银行、有限制牌照银行和接受存款公司三类银行机构。这三类银行都可以接受公众的存款。三级银行机构按不同的规定运营，只有持牌银行和有限制牌照银行才可以称为银行。从香港金融管理局公布的数据来看，目前香港共有137家持牌银行、43家有限制牌照银行和40家接受存款公司，分别来自32个国家和地区，这些认可机构共经营1300多家分行，组成了庞大的网络。此外，还有90多家海外银行办事处。

　　上个世纪90年代香港银行业曾经历过快速扩张，但1998年亚洲金融风暴之后，香港银行业受到沉重打击，逐步从规模扩张转向追求内在盈利能力的增长。香港银行业在发展过程中，经历了一系列收购兼并和内部重组，逐步呈现一种垄断性格局。汇丰、中银香港、恒生、渣打、花旗等规模较大的银行占据绝大多数市场份额，前四位银行占据近60%的存款市场份额。另外20多家分享剩余的40%份额。

　　目前，在港银行业竞争中占据有利地位的银行大致分为三类：一类是汇丰、花旗等银行，依托国际化优势，形成自身稳固的客户结构和特色产品；另一类是中银香港等，他们依靠内地快速增长的经济网络和客户基础，依托两地经济融合商机发展壮大，在香港银行业中也具重要位置；还有一类是恒生等既在香港有稳固基础、又能积极拓展中国内地业务，为其在香港的客户提供全面服务的本地银行。这三类银行是香港银行业的主流。

Twin towers to be built in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, are designed to be the tallest buildings in the city, the Guangzhou Daily reported Tuesday (July 13th).

The Guangzhou Urban Planning Bureau invited design plans from 15 national and international firms of architects for the towers, which are scheduled to be completed in time for the 2010 Asiad.

The towers are expected to be 330 to 390 meters tall.

Authorities required 60 percent of the main building, which covers 31,084.96 square meters, to be set aside for offices, and another 30 percent for a 5-star hotel. The competing design plans are to be submitted to the Guangzhou planning bureau before October 15.

The underground space below the towers will have five floors, including parking lots, conference rooms, and commercial areas.

Lines 3 and 5 of the Guangzhou Metro will run by the northwest side of the towers.

What an amazing picture!

http://www.info.gov.hk/hk2030/hk2030content/consultants/PRD_LU/image/02.jpg
the boundry of cities in the region, those in purple are already built area

Jan 22, 2005

Pearl River Delta casts its net wider

Inclusion of poorer regions helps overcome shortage of resources

By Tschang Chi-chu
China Correspondent

LONGNAN (JIANGXI) - AFTER closing down Top Form International's factory in the eastern Chinese port city of Dalian due to logistic problems, chairman Willie Fung scouted locations in inland China before deciding in 1998 to build a new factory here, right across the Jiangxi-Guangdong border.

The Hong Kong-based company already had factories in Shenzhen and Nanhai but one reason the world's largest original equipment manufacturer of brassieres decided to set up a factory in Jiangxi was that it could pay workers here half of what their counterparts in Guangdong earned.

'The operating conditions in Guangdong province are getting more and more difficult because there are too many Hong Kong, foreign and local factories concentrated there,' said Mr Fung.

'Today, Guangdong province has shortages of resources. There isn't enough electricity. There isn't enough water. There isn't enough labour.'

Although the Pearl River Delta economy has grown faster than other regions in China, the factories in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau that manufacture everything from toys to shoes for the rest of the world have taken their toll on the region.

The quality of air in Hong Kong has deteriorated rapidly as a result of smog and pollution caused by factories in Guangdong. In September, the Special Administrative Region's official air pollution index exceeded 200 - a level deemed 'severe' - for the first time since Hong Kong began monitoring air quality in 1995.

Besides the power and water shortages, Guangdong is short of labour as migrant workers would rather stay at home than travel to the province to find jobs paying 600 yuan (S$120) a month at factories where unscrupulous managers may or may not pay the wages.

Out of the 2.8 million workers that China's factories are short of, two million alone are in the Pearl River Delta, according to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

'There are fewer and fewer workers going to Guangdong. They are all staying at home, which helps Longnan solve its unemployment problem,' said Mr Liao Zhong, director of Longnan County Economic Liaison Office in Jiangxi province.

Guangdong's solution to these problems is to expand the Pearl River Delta.

In July 2003, Guangdong party secretary Zhang Dejiang proposed a Pan-Pearl River Delta, also known as '9+2', to encompass the poorer regions of China.

Nine provinces and regions - Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Hainan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan - will be connected with the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau not just via new roads and bridges but also by eliminating cross-provincial tariffs and other trade barriers.

If China succeeds in creating a free trade zone within the Pan-Pearl River Delta, it would create a territory with 456 million people and a US$630 billion (S$1 trillion) economy, almost rivalling Asean in terms of population and gross domestic product.

Hong Kong and the provinces are building 22 superhighways and an extra 10,000km of railway to connect Guangzhou to the western provinces.

The political backing for the Pan-Pearl River Delta has already shown signs of fostering inter-provincial cooperation.

Work on an expressway to connect Guangdong province with Jiangxi province began last year but was slow.

'They dragged their feet on the construction of the highway because once the route opens, a lot of companies in Guangdong will move their operations inland,' said Longnan County Communist Party Secretary Zhong Pengrong.

'After the Pan-Pearl River Delta proposal came out, the...authorities have really stepped up the pace.'