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HONG KONG — The government signed the first infrastructure contract for Hong Kong’s planned Disney theme park Monday with a mainland Chinese construction company. 

Lau Ching-kwong, the territory’s civil engineering director, signed a $267 million contract with China State Construction Engineering Corporation to build facilities at Penny’s Bay, off the outlying Lantau Island, a government statement said. 

The contract was the first of five for Disneyland infrastructure and will include work on roads, a sewer system, a drainage system, water supply systems, landscaping, dredging and land reclamation. 

The project will begin on Wednesday and is scheduled to be completed in April 2005, the statement said. 

Plants and trees supplied locally as well as imported from China, Southeast Asia and Australia will be planted “to create instant lush greenery effect,” said the statement. 

So far, a project to reclaim about 190.27 acres of land has been completed, as has most of the dredging work, said Lau. 

The government is collaborating with Burbank-based Walt Disney Co. to build the $3.55 billion theme park in Hong Kong, which is due to open in 2005.  

The government has been criticized for supplying the land and footing most of the bill for the park, but said it hoped the project will create jobs and attract tourists.