Life of Guangzhou - Guangzhou, Foshan to Co-launch 52 projects for Integrated Development

52 key projects will be launched and co-developed by Guangzhou and neighboring Foshan this year for integrated development, as announced at a planning conference of mayors and senior officials from the two Guangdong economic powerhouses on Thursday in Guangzhou.

It was also emphasized at the conference that the blueprint for Guangzhou-Foshan co-development will be finalized this June.

The existing Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway.

The twin-city integration of annual toll tickets and IC bus cards will perhaps come into operation this year, if the conference's targets are met.

The second Mayors' conference will be held in Foshan this August to check the progress of the ongoing projects.

The cross border cooperation is to include:

* 7 Guangzhou-Foshan railway lines;

* An additional 20 Guangzhou-Foshan bus lines;

* A Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway Ring (construction to launch this year);

* Two cities to collaborate for the improvement of air quality by the Guangzhou Asian Games next November;

* The Liwan District of Guangzhou and the Nanhai District of Foshan are to begin collaboration on water pollution control in the second half of 2009;

* Results of physical examinations at hospitals are to be shared between the two cities;

* The tourist bureaus of the two cities are to sign an agreement of collaboration on April 25, including the shared release of 50,000 Guangzhou-Foshan Tourist Cards, which may entitle holders to a maximum discount of 50% at 150 sites in Guangzhou and Foshan.

(By Ronald Li and Stephen Roach)

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