Policies issued to boost HK, mainland relations

BEIJING - China's central government Wednesday announced a package of policies to boost economic and cultural relations between Hong Kong and the mainland.

The central government will push forward the joint ventures of stock exchanges in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai, and issue bourse-traded funds listed in both Hong Kong and mainland stock markets, said a statement from the State Council.

The policy package covers cooperation in trade, finance, education, science and technologies, tourism and cooperation between Hong Kong and neighboring Guangdong province.