The Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Department of Housing & Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province (DHURDGP) today signed an agreement to jointly promote construction standardisation between Guangdong and Hong Kong to enhance the competitiveness of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's (GBA) construction industry.

The Cooperation Agreement on Guangdong-Hong Kong Construction Standardisation was signed by Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn and Director‑General of the DHURDGP Guo Haoyu.

Under the mechanism, the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments will jointly set up a working group and a technical committee, and invite experts from relevant sectors to form expert committees. 

The Building Technology Research Institute and the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Building Research Group will serve as the secretariats for Hong Kong and Guangdong respectively. 

Both sides will jointly co‑ordinate and steer the formulation of construction standards in designated areas.

Ms Linn said that the signing of the agreement signifies a major milestone for Guangdong and Hong Kong in deepening institutional alignment and promoting the overall upgrading and mutual recognition of construction standards.

Reflecting the national policy directions, it capitalises on Hong Kong’s international advantages to bridge national and international standards, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness of the country's construction industry, she added.

Before the signing ceremony, Ms Linn and Mr Guo exchanged views on the latest developments of the construction industry in Guangdong and Hong Kong, as well as deepening co‑operation between the two places and promoting high-quality development of the construction industry in the GBA. 

They also explored how construction standardisation could drive the collaborative development of the construction industry and advanced construction technologies.