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2
see it happen here; But shipowners are engaged in an internationally competitive business that is unforgiving, but allows a fairly wide choice of domicile and flag,
4 and shipowners will quickly make their decisions, where
5
to live and operate from, against this background.
I
6
can only strongly urge the Government yet again to .
7
8
9
10
11
12
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weigh all factors in the balance and either seek an accommodation with the Americans, or to take the unilateral action open to it by removing the tax on foreign ships in the port here which would achieve
- the same results but without the need for the feared
complications of a tax agreement. We know that exploratory bilateral talks are under way
under way but what
is ultimately required is an early decision locally.
NP 16 [I
am pleased to see that the rapid port expansion
17 has led Government to recognise and act expeditiously.
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on the requirements for container berths and storage space, but self-satisfaction with that side of
20 shipping should never obscure the importance of
21 Hong Kong as a base for shipowning and ship
22 management; only the two together have created the 23 major international maritime centre for which we
24 are widely and rightly envied.
+353
25
26 [I wish I could say the same of the airport; I believe 27 those responsible for the delays in the planning and 28 construction of a replacement facility for Kai Tak will 29 be held to task latest by 1993 when we reach runway 30 capacity limits. Like the currently applied so-called 31 Hong Kong civil aviation policy of one airline per 32 route, this miscalculation as to the future growth of 33
air services, and the arbitrary and unwarranted
all
34 curtailment of domestic competition, despite the mandate 35 of existing legislation, previous precedents and the 36 rapidly changing international scene, will probably cost