The SAR Government would contract a consultant company to study the feasibility of the regional infrastructure projects between Macau and Guangdong, namely the light railway system liking Macau and Shenzhen, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Au Man Long disclosed toady.

Mr. Au said that cooperation mechanism on part of the regional infrastructure projects with Guangdong had been decided during the Chief Executive's visit to the Province July this year, including a preliminary study on some transportation networks.

He added that the Macau SAR Government had started pre-stage preparations on those projects.

Apart from collecting and analyzing relevant data and information, Mr. Au said the SAR Government would contract a consultant to carry out feasibility studies.

He stressed that results of those studies were necessary for the SAR Government to conduct further negotiations with Guangdong authorities.

Mr. Au pointed out that with the development of Guangdong Province, especially the economic growth of the cities in the west bank of the Pearl River Delta, a perfect transportation network would be more important to the future of both sides.

He also said that studies on a light railway system and other high-speed links would be conducted gradually, emphasizing benefit to the overall economy of the Delta would be taken into account when starting the cooperation on the transportation projects.