Sarah Liao, secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, said she does not see any insolvable difficulty in the discussion between the Hong Kong government and the State Development Planning Commission on the proposed bridge.

"We are researching and liaising closely with the various authorities in Guangdong Province and the mainland in general in the hope that the bridge will be constructed as soon as possible," she said.

"This bridge will be vital for Hong Kong's smooth flow of passengers and its tourism industry. It is also an infrastructure that will be vital for both the Hong Kong's and the mainland's future economic develop-ment in general," Liao said.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government is also set to hold discussions on the geographical distribution of the rail stations of a proposed high-speed rail link joining Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

(eastday.com January 14, 2003)