China's top legislature began to deliberate a bill on Tuesday that will allow Hong Kong to set up a customs office in the neighboring port city of Shenzhen on the Chinese mainland.

Under the arrangement dubbed "One Port, Two Customs", the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, which was created after China resumed its sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, would be authorized to exercise its customs laws and regulations from offices on land leased from the city of Shenzhen.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2006)