Main Content

To promote the joint economic prosperity and development of the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and to facilitate the further development of economic links between the two sides and other countries and regions, the two sides signed the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) in 2003 and 9 sets of supplements in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The measures relevant to IT industry include:

      Trade in Services Liberalization Measures:

1. To allow Hong Kong service suppliers to apply for qualification certification of computer information system integration
2. To allow Hong Kong service suppliers to set up wholly-owned enterprises in the Mainland to provide software implementation services and data processing services
3. To allow Hong Kong permanent residents with Chinese citizenship to set up individually owned stores in the Mainland to provide computer repair services, computer services and software services
4. To allow Hong Kong residents to take qualification examinations for professionals and technicians, in particular for proficiency in computer technology and software
5. To allow Hong Kong service suppliers to provide cross-boundary database services in Qianhai and Hengqin on a pilot basis
6. To allow Hong Kong service suppliers to set up joint venture enterprises in the Mainland to provide database services
   

   Trade and Investment Facilitation Measure:

7. To take forward the mutual recognition of electronic signature certificates issued by Guangdong and Hong Kong

To strengthen the co-operation in information industry and informatisation between Hong Kong and Guangdong, the Eighth Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference held on 28 September 2005 agreed to include informatisation as a key aspect of co-operation and establish an expert group to look after the matter.

The Hong Kong/Guangdong Expert Group on Co-operation in Informatisation (EGCI) was established in 2006. Seven Plenary meetings had been held on 17 May 2006 in Guangzhou, 22 June 2007 in Hong Kong, 4 July 2008 in Guangzhou, 10 July 2009 in Hong Kong, 9 July 2010 in Guangzhou, 20 July 2011 in Hong Kong and 10 August 2012 in Guangzhou respectively.

To strengthen Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation in Informatisation, OGCIO and the Department of Information Industry of Guangdong Province had signed the "Arrangement on Strengthening Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation in Informatisation" after the Tenth Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference held on 2 August 2007.

The main co-operation areas of EGCI for 2012/13 include:

• To create an internationalised business environment, promote the application of mutual recognition of electronic signature certificates, drive the construction of control points and facilitation of customs clearance, and promote the exchange and co-operation in e-commerce and the next generation Internet;
• To support modern service industries, deepen the co-operation of information industry, promote the exchange and co-operation in the development of Internet of Things and cloud computing between the two places, and strengthen the co-operation of information service industry;
• To improve cross-boundary infrastructure facilities, uplift the ability and level of information communication infrastructure between Guangdong and Hong Kong, and promote the co-operation and resources sharing of information technology infrastructure facilities;
• To build a quality living area, improve the information reporting mechanisms on food and agricultural product safety, build a management platform for monitoring as well as tracking and tracing the source of food for Hong Kong, continue to promote wider application of RFID technology, build a geographical indication service system using RFID technology, conduct a study on specifications and standards for application of RFID technology on food for Hong Kong.