The newly approved Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone will offer preferential policies for investment from the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, according to a top provincial official.

Zhu Xiaodan, governor of Guangdong province, said the FTZ will play a central role in facilitating economic and trade cooperation between the province and the neighboring special administrative regions.

"The FTZ will further open up to Hong Kong and Macao investors under the CEPA (Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement) framework," Zhu said, adding that a draft development plan for the zone has been submitted to the State Council for approval.