G.F. 316
SECRET 高度機密
Page No. 4 of 9 pages
8.
The Vice-Minister of China's Foreign Investment Commission, ZHOU Jiannan, has said that up to the end of June 1980, foreign investment in the Shenzhen SEZ stood at HK$2200 m. and that there were 670 joint enterprises. The equivalent figures for the Zhuhai SEZ at the end of 1980 were HK$400 m. and 70 enterprises.
9.
A regular hoverferry service between Hong Kong and Shekou opened during the month. There are two return trips a day, with the journey taking three quarters of an hour.
10.
There have in the past been reports of a proposal to build an airport in Shenzhen, possibly one of international standard (para 10, September 1981 Report). The SEZ Management Committee has now announced however that the airport, which is to be located on the isthmus of the Shekou peninsula, is to be for domestic services only.
11.
More information has become available about Vice- Premier BO Yibo's visit to the SEZ at the end of October (para 4, October 1981 Report). He is reported to have been critical of the Zone's management particularly its lack of expertise. This, together with other unfavourable views said to be held by officials in Beijing, may indicate that the position of LIANG Xiang, Mayor of Shenzhen, is not a secure one.
12.
In contrast to the SEZ, the Special Industrial Zone of Shekou is gaining a good reputation among investors, not least because of the ability of the Vice-Managing Director of the China Merchants Steam Navigation Co., YUAN Keng, and also because of the considerable past experience of the company in the commercial world. However, even here, a foreign investor, believed to be an American construction firm, recently has had occasion to complain about the unhelpful behaviour of the workers' representative body which controls all construction labour in
Shekou.
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