Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao anti-corruption authorities have agreed to set up a standing working group to jointly map out long term strategies and objectives to strengthen tripartite cooperation on corruption prevention and education.

ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming returned to Hong Kong today (Sunday) after a three-day visit to Guangdong. During the visit, he met with Guangdong People’s Procuratorate (GDPP) Chief Procurator Mr Zheng Hong. Both sides had a frank exchange on their latest anti-corruption work and discussed arrangements for setting up a tripartite steering group on corruption prevention and education.

It has been initially agreed that the steering group should comprise senior officials from the GDPP, ICAC and Macao’s Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) who would take charge of leading, coordinating and promoting graft prevention and education work concerning various areas such as businesses, infrastructural construction projects, public officials and youths.

Noting that the three agencies had been working closely with each other in respect of fighting and preventing corruption, Dr Tong said that they should also strengthen cooperation in view of the fast-paced integration of the Pearl River Delta region's economies, cultures and cross-boundary transportation networks.

"A clean government and a level-playing field for business are key to healthy economic development. Therefore we need to take our anti-corruption cooperation to the next level," he said.

In view of the further integration of Pearl River Delta economies, GDPP, ICAC and CCAC would consider jointly organising a seminar for small and medium sized enterprises with cross-boundary operations to exchange views on the latest anti-corruption work and strategies, said the Commissioner.

The three parties would also consider launching a new guidebook of prevention tips and advices to help strengthen anti-corruption work for cross-boundary businesses, he added.

The Commissioner said that strengthening tripartite cultural and educational exchanges was a work priority in the three places’ probity building work. Fostering a probity culture among the youths was of particular importance and the agencies should endeavour to strengthen efforts in this regard.

Dr Tong said that this year the three agencies had jointly organised for the first time a tripartite TV commercial production competition for university, tertiary and secondary school students with a probity theme. The response was most encouraging and a considerable number of entries had been received. Adjudication would be completed soon and an awards presentation ceremony would be staged in Hong Kong at the end of the month.

To further promote anti-corruption cultural and educational exchanges, Dr Tong also visited relevant offices of the provincial government to explore the possibility of airing the Commission's "ICAC Investigators" drama series on Guangdong TV channels.

On the enforcement front, the Commissioner said that GDPP and ICAC officers had interviewed more than 1,300 witnesses in each other’s jurisdiction under the Mutual Case Assistance Scheme. These interviews had resulted in the successful prosecution of a number of cross-boundary graft cases.

The three agencies had so far staged five annually held workshops allowing officers to exchange views on the scheme as well as to review and evaluate its effectiveness.

During his stay in Guangdong, the Commissioner also met with Guangzhou Municipal People’s Procuratorate Chief Procurator Mr Wang Fucheng to exchange experiences on anti-corruption and visited the Shaoguan Municipal People’s Procuratorate to learn about the city’s graft-fighting work.

ICAC officials accompanying Dr Tong for the visit included Director of Community Relations Ms Julie Mu Fee-man, Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention Mr Mok Wah-hoi and Principal Investigator Mr Steven Lam Kin-ming.