1989-01-11 23:56 G.I.S
12
33 P.13
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989
LORD GLENARTHUR : PROMOTION OF TRADE WITH TAIWAN, IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE DRIVING AT? PROMOTION OF TRADE, YES, I MEAN, THERE IS SCOPE I THINK FOR INCREASING OUR TRADE LINKS WITH TAIWAN. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROPOSALS. IT IS QUITE INTERESTING TO NOTE, TOO,
THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN ECONOMIC TRADE ACTIVITY BETWEEN MAINLAND CHINA AND TAIWAN,
YEARS.
SANDY LI: TREMENDOUS DEVELOPMENT HASN'T BEEN SEEN IN THE PAST
LORD GLENARTHUR: RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN...?
SANDY LI: PAST FEW YEARS.
LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, THERE HAS BEEN RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN TAIWAN, THERE IS ALSO THE NEED TO TRY AND BUILD UP THE LINKS BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND TAIWAN ON A TRADE BASIS AND WE ARE CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT WAYS OF IMPROVING THAT.
AGNES LAM (SCMP): ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT, RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ANGLO-HONG KONG TRUST WHICH IS AIMED TO FOSTER THE LINK BETWEEN HONG KONG AND BRITISH BUSINESSMEN, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WILL BE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE TRUST AND DO YOU FEEL THAT HONG KONG, I MEAN LOCAL BUSINESSMEN, ARE SUFFICIENTLY AWARE OF THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN UK?
LORD GLENARTHUR: I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA. IT IS ESSENTIALLY A PRIVATE VENTURE, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE GIVEN IT OUR BLESSING SO FAR AS ITS EXPRESS PURPOSE OF IMPROVING TWO-WAY TRADE AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG IS CONCERNED. LORD YOUNG AND I ARE GOING TO HOST A DINNER, AN INAUGURAL DINNER, ON MARCH 21 I THINK, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL FLOURISH. I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA.
AGNES LAM: BUT WHAT WILL THE BRITISH COMMITMENT ON THE
TRUST
BE?
IS
LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, IT HASN'T EVEN REALLY HAPPENED YET. IT STILL IN ITS FORMATION. IT IS A PRIVATE VENTURE. I MEAN OUR COMMITMENT IS TO SUPPORT IT SO FAR AS WE CAN TELL IT IS GOING ΤΟ DEVELOP. I MEAN IT IS ALL PART OF A MEANS OF TRYING TO DEVELOP THE MUTUAL, THE TWO-WAY TRAFFIC IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT. 30 OUR COMMITMENT IS AS WHOLEHEARTED AS I HAVE DESCRIBED IT.
AGNES LAM: MY QUESTION
IS ABOUT THE AWARENESS OF LOCAL
BUSINESSMEN,
TO
LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY KEEN TRY AND INCREASE, AWARENESS OF THE OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR BRITISH FIRMS TO COME. IT IS SOMETHING WHICH LORD YOUNG AND I HAVE BOTH CONCENTRATED ON IN THE PAST AND THERE IS A TWO-WAY SIDE TO
WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE COMPANIES THAT ARE BASED HERE TO SET UP THE OTHER WAY, AND SO ON.
IT.
/MAGGIE NELSON (RTHK):