CALENDAR OF EVENTS IN 1997
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March
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April
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The West Kowloon Expressway and the Kwai Chung Viaduct, the first two of the seven government projects under the Airport Core Programme, are opened to traffic.
The Solicitor General, Mr Daniel Fung, leads a delegation to Beijing, Dalian and Kunming under a programme promoting contacts between local legal officials and their Mainland counterparts.
Hong Kong and Japan seal an air services agreement that ensures the smooth continuation of air services beyond June 30. Similar agreements are subsequently signed with Myanmar, Thailand, the USA, the Philippines and Indonesia. These conclude years of negotiation and agreement with all Hong Kong's major air destinations.
A government team led by the Deputy Solicitor General, Mr Stephen Wong, attends a hearing of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva.
Experts on the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group reach a consensus on the 1997/98 Budget at the 19th round of talks.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mrs Sadako Ogata, visits Hong Kong to review the progress of solutions for Vietnamese migrants stranded in the territory.
The Financial Secretary presents the 1997/98 Budget in the Legislative Council.
The Sino-British Joint Liaison Group's 39th meeting is held in London. Canada announces visa-free access for holders of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports. Similar favourable agreements are subsequently signed with the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Thailand, Turkey, Ghana, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, India, Kiribati, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Jordan, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, Cape Verde Islands, Poland, Egypt and South Africa. They join a long list of countries which had signed such agreements in earlier years.
A residential and commercial site of 25 592 square metres at Siu Sai Wan is sold for a record $11.82 billion at a land auction.
The Chief Executive, the Honourable Tung Chee Hwa, and the Chief Secretary meet the Chinese Premier, Mr Li Peng, in Beijing.
The Chief Secretary visits Vancouver at the invitation of the Vancouver Board of Trade and the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association. Nine people die and 36 others are injured in an apartment fire in Mei Foo Sun Chuen.
Hong Kong and the United States sign two agreements on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and on the transfer of sentenced people. At its 34th meeting, the Sino-British Land Commission agrees on the land disposal programme for the period April to June 1997.
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