The Chinese Mainland will introduce 29 liberalisation measures covering 17 service sectors, including two new sectors - services incidental to mining, and related scientific and technical consulting services.

The measures will come into force on 1st January, 2009.

Hong Kong and Guangdong will also implement a package of liberalisation and facilitation measures on an early and pilot basis to enhance mutual economic and trade co-operation.

HK Financial Secretary John Tsang and China's Vice-Minister of Commerce Jiang Zengwei signed the document on Tuesday.

Witnessing the signing, Chief Executive Donald Tsang observed that the new package will open more opportunities for Hong Kong traders who wish to enter the Mainland market.

The measures will not only bring mutual economic benefits but will also create a solid platform for enhancing economic integration between the two jurisdictions, he suggested.

For conventions and exhibitions, enterprises formed by Hong Kong service suppliers on a wholly-owned, equity joint venture or contractual joint venture basis in Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing and Zhejiang will be allowed to organise overseas exhibitions on a pilot basis.

In banking, any Mainland-incorporated banking institution established by a Hong Kong bank will be allowed to locate its data centre in Hong Kong, subject to the fulfilment of certain requirements.

In construction and related engineering services Hong Kong professionals obtaining the Mainland's registered Urban Planner or Supervision Engineer qualification will be allowed to register and practice in Guangdong regardless of whether they are registered practitioners in Hong Kong or not.

Restrictions on the proportion of the total capital contributed by Mainland partners in forming construction and engineering design enterprises in the form of an equity joint venture or contractual joint venture on the Mainland will also be removed.

In accounting, the validity period of the Provisional Licence to Perform Audit-related Services, applied for by Hong Kong accounting firms to conduct auditing businesses on a temporary basis on the Mainland, will be extended from two years to five.

In addition to various other measures, the two sides also agreed to enhance co-operation in branding, trademark, e-commerce in the area of trade and investment facilitation, and to continue work on mutual recognition of professional qualifications in accounting and construction.