A delegation comprising officials from various bureaux in the municipal government of Guangzhou has visited the EAA and had meetings with representatives of the trade associations in Hong Kong. The visit provided an opportunity for the exchange of experience between the two sides on the development and management of real estate services industry, and the related legal and regulatory issues.

The delegation was led by Mr Xie Xiaodan, Deputy Director of the Land and House Office of Guangzhou. Members of the delegation came from the Office of Organization Committee of Guangzhou Municipality, the Guangzhou Real Estate Agent Service Administration Centre and the Price Index Bureau of Guangzhou Municipality.

The EAA arranged for the delegation to meet Hong Kong practitioners at a seminar. The theme of the seminar was to introduce the history and the regulatory system of the estate agency industry in Hong Kong and at the same time to allow Hong Kong practitioners to be updated on the development of the industry in Guangzhou and, in particular, estate agency practice in that city. Trade associations which participated in the event included the Hong Kong Real Estate Agencies General Association, the Properties Agencies Association, the Society of Hong Kong Real Estate Agents Limitd, the Hong Kong Chamber of Professional Property Consultants Limitd, the Estate Agents Management Association Limited, the New Territories Estate Agency Association Limited and the Estate Agent Association.

Apart from visiting estate agency companies in Hong Kong, the delegation also called on the Land Registry and was given a comprehensive briefing on Hong Kong's registration system for property transactions, and how searches for property information were performed. The visit was a manifestation of the spirit of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and significance of further economic integration and development between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region, which would in turn enhance the development of real estate services in both the Mainland and the HKSAR.