The volunteers engaged in the preparatory work for the Olympic equestrian competition are full of enthusiasm, and their spirit has, in turn, infected the chief executive. On the evening that Beijing was awarded the right to host the 2008 Olympics, Donald Tsang Am-kuen said he would, if necessary, run all the way to Beijing to see the Olympics. But, as it happens, the Olympics are going to be brought right to Hong Kong's doorstep. It is estimated that tourism associated with the Olympics equestrian competition will be worth more than 300 million Hong Kong dollars, and by staging the event the region will gain valuable experience in managing large-scale international sports event. Even more importantly, as not many cities have ever hosted the Olympic Games, this opportunity is of major significance for Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong and Beijing are working together," said Olympic volunteer.

"The affairs that the government of the special administrative region must allow the central government handle, as well as anything that can be done to stimulate the prosperity of the

Hong Kong people, promote the development and stability of Hong Kong, and help Hong Kong as an autonomous tax zone and help it play a greater role on the world stage, the central government will actively work to do it," said Gao Qiren, director of the Hong Kong Contact Office of the Central People's Government.

Every day traffic on the Lok Ma Chau Bridge between the customs authorities of Shenzhou and Hong Kong is non-stop. With the rapid economic growth brought on by the implementation of CEPA, the traffic here began to exceed the 24-hour non-stop capacity of the two customs ports. The current traffic flow well and truly exceeds the original design blueprint. Faced with the constant increase in cargo and passenger traffic volumes, the directors of the two customs authorities are increasing their communication and cooperation, and the main focus of all discussions and planning is how to speed up customs processing.

"I meet with Commissioner Tong of Hong Kong much more often than I meet with directors of any other mainland customs authorities," said Zou Zhiwu, director of Shenzhen customs authority.

"I would like to add that our meetings really have become more frequent. We met four times in 2006, and there are many important government figures with whom I've met less frequently than Director Zou. I hope, however, that we can meet even more frequently, maybe even once a month," said Timothy H.M. Tong, Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Hong Kong.

"CEPA is meant to support Hong Kong, but it is also conducive to opening up and development on the mainland.It helps Hong Kong to take full advantage of its strengths and facilitates the free and convenient movement of goods, capital and personnel between Hong Kong and the mainland. Therefore CEPA has promoted economic exchanges and cooperation and trade between them and promote deconomic revival, development, stability and prosperity in Hong Kong," said Liao Xiaoqi, Vice Minister of Commerce.

"While the central government fully supports Hong Kong, Hong Kong companies doing business on the mainland under CEPA have helped improve industrial productivity there. These mutually beneficial relations will dominate future economic cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong. On July 1st, 2007 the fourth passage crossing the border between Hong Kong and the mainland will be opened to traffic, following on Luohu, Huanggang and Shatoujiao. This major artery, dubbed "the western corridor," will carry twice the traffic of the other three passages combined. On the same day, the new port between Shenzhen and Hong Kong will go into operation at the Shenzhen terminal of the western corridor. This is a novel measure that requires passengers and freight trains and trucks to go through Customs only at the Shenzhen checkpoint," said Liao Xiaoqi, Vice Minister of Commerce.