Chinese premier Wen Jiabao said on Friday that within this year a supplement agreement to the CEPA between the mainland and Hong Kong will be signed, which will further increase the access to the mainland market for the services sector in Hong Kong.

Wen said this at a press conference following the end of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body.

CEPA, or Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, was signed in 2003 between the Hong Kong Special Administrative region and the Central Government on opening the mainland market to Hong Kong products and services.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2009)