Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (L) addresses an economic forum in Hong Kong August 17, 2011. [Edmond Tang/chinadaily.com.cn]

Hong Kong - The central government will further deepen the mainland's openness to Hong Kong in the trade in service, Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday at a forum during his three-day tour to Hong Kong.

Related authorities will simplify approval procedures and well implement favorable policies to Hong Kong under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), to realize a full liberalization of trade in service between the two sides by the end of the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan, Li said at the Forum on 12th Five-Year Plan and Mainland-Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Financial Cooperation attended by business professionals, experts and government officials.

The two sides will step up consultation on Supplement VIII to CEPA and get it signed before the end of the year, so as to facilitate investment cooperation, according to Li.

The central government will continue to support Hong Kong's participation in multilateral and regional economic cooperation, mainly providing support to Hong Kong's economic and trade cooperation with the East Asia region and giving more weight to Hong Kong's interest and appeal when conducting free trade zone negotiations, Li said.

More efforts would be made to promote "going out" strategy for enterprises in both the mainland and Hong Kong, which are expected to jointly conduct international investment and expand infrastructure construction in the overseas market, Li said.

Relative authorities will maintain stable policies for processing trade industry, encouraging Hong Kong-invested enterprises to upgrade and carry out business transformation, Li said.

Futher, Li said the central government will support the use of renminbi investment by the overseas enterprises, including Hong Kong-based enterprises.

These policies and measures were rolled out to support the city's development and enhance cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong.