Plans for the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) have been put on hold after the Walt Disney Company announced that it failed to reach a deal with the region's government.

The theme park operator revealed that the decision to suspend the expansion scheme's creative and design work is set to result in the loss of a round 30 Hong Kong-based jobs.

However, a spokesperson for HKDL said that negotiations are continuing with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to progress the expansion project, while the company insisted that it remains committed to the success of the resort.

In a statement, executive vice president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts' worldwide public affairs, Leslie Goodman, said: "After two years of Disney investment in creative and design work and extensive negotiations with our partner, the Hong Kong government, we have not yet reached a final agreement to expand HKDL.

"The uncertainty of the outcome requires us to immediately suspend all creative and design work on the project."

HKDL, which is the result of a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong government, opened in September 2005 and was the first Disney theme park to be established in China.

The 128-hectare (310-acre) resort includes 2,100 hotel rooms and a 28,000sq m (301,389sq ft) retail, dining and entertainment complex, and has attracted more than 15 million visitors since it opened.