City governments within the Pearl River Delta are often criticised for surging ahead with their own development agenda. Would a "master plan" to steer the PRD stop each city from jockeying to become the "dragons head" of the region and accelerate development? Or would it dampen growth of the world's fastest growing region?

Panellists in the final session of the PRD Conference shared their thoughts on how the region as a whole has benefited from closer co-operation and exchange of ideas and information. None of the speakers seemed to be able to put their finger on where the region is going, but each had a vision of how they hoped the region would develop.

Panel moderator Dr Eden Woon, CEO, HKGCC, posed the question to each panellist at the end of the conference: "What is your vision for what the Pearl River Delta should be like or would be like in the year 2022?"

Dr Sze Nien-dak, Executive Director, The 2022 Foundation   I can think of three possible scenarios. One is the so-called business as usual scenario, in that we will be doing the same thing in the next 10 or 20 years. I think this is highly unlikely, but I think we have to do some form of integration. There are a lot of forces shaping the region, but one filter -- critically important -- is government policy, which is very challenging. It really needs inter-governmental policies, joint planning and, at some point, we should even talk about joint implementation, to go forward. If we can pull our act together, I think this will continue to be one of the greatest regions in the next 10 to 15 years. But it does depend on how we pull our act together.

Tang King-shing, Director of Operations, Hong Kong Police Force   As integration progress, there will be further relaxation on a whole range of things. It will probably be much easier than now to travel within the region, be it by person or by vehicle, and goods will move more freely. So we will see a lot more freedom of travelling, freedom of movement of goods, etc. Sharing of information, sharing of experience are more sorts of joint efforts in a whole range of aspects from say co-operation between the security forces to commercial entities. This will only be confined within the region and there will be a limit because we are still under "one country, two systems." There are things such as legal jurisdiction and administration boundaries limits which we cannot cross.

Dr Leong Che-hung, Chairman, Hong Kong Hospital Authority   I think a lot of things can easily be done. As you can see, the economies of the two sides are getting closer and closer. You know, probably in 20 years, we do not even know who is richer. Travel is going to get easier and easier, and a lot of co-operation can be done. Basically, we are all Chinese as our cultures are the same, our way of thinking the same, our core value the same. Now I think if this can really co-ordinate, then the whole thing will really kick off and fly.

Kitty Choi, Head, Hong Kong Guangdong Cooperation Coordination Unit, HKSARG   In 20 years from now, I want there to be perfect flow of people, cargo, information, finance and services. And I am no economist, I cannot guess the size of the economy, but I want Hong Kong to remain an international city and to be the metropolis of this region.