The talks are the latest effort from Tsang, who last week went urged citizens to reduce electricity usage in order to cut emissions from power stations, in his battle to clean up the city's air.

"Hong Kongs air is more polluted than it was 10 years ago, but I want you to know that I take this issue very seriously, and I am working with my colleagues in the government to deal with it as best and as quickly as possible," the China-backed leader told local RTHK radio.

"I will meet our Guangdong counterparts early next month to take stock of the measures we have taken," he said.

Air quality has deteriorated in Hong Kong so much that smog reduced visibility to less than a kilometer on more than 50 days last year, a record in this southern Chinese territory.

Surveys also suggest pollution is hitting Hong Kong where it hurts most -- financially.

Companies say they are finding it hard to attract executives from overseas because of the pollution problem, and the travel industry says tourists are increasingly suffering smog-related health problems.

Tour operators say visitors are also complaining as the city's famous harbour, its premier tourist attraction, is rendered invisible by the smog.

The government claims the problem is mostly the result of the industrialisation of southern China's neighbouring Pearl River Delta region, while green groups blame it on Hong Kong's coal-burning power stations and creaking diesel-powered buses.

Tsang also repeated a call made last week for Hong Kongers to help reduce greenhouse gases by cutting down on electricity usage.

"If each of us could reduce our electricity consumption, then the power generators could burn less fuel and emit less pollutants such as sulphur dioxide," he said.

Last week Tsang urged civil servants -- and, by extension, private businesses -- to dress down at the office, removing jackets and ties, in a bid to cut down on air-conditioner use, which account for a third of all power consumed here.

"Experts estimate that if we raise the air-conditioner temperature by three degrees Celsius, to 25.5 degrees, we could save about one billion units of electricity each year, worth about 900 million dollars," he said.

"Thats a staggering amount of electricity, which we dont really need. Raising room temperatures just a little will eliminate tonnes and tonnes of air pollutants," he added.

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