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THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1974
GOVERNOR TOURS ELECTRONICS FACTORY
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY SAW MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IN PROGRESS IN THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY HONG KONG'S SECOND LARGEST EXPORT EARNER.
HE CONTINUED A SERIES OF FACTORY VISITS BY MAKING A SHOP- FLOOR TOUR OF FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CHK) LTD, 135 HOI BUN ROAD, KWUN TONG. THE FIRM EMPLOYS MORE THAN 3,000 WORKERS AND ITS PRODUCTS INCLUDE TRANSISTORS, INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND DIODES.
SIR MURRAY WAS BRIEFED ON THE COMPANY'S OPERATIONS BY THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, MR. R.W. MARTIN, BEFORE TOURING THE FACTORY PREMISES. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MR. ROY PORTER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AND MR. K.H. YEUNG, PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICEK, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BRANCH.
HONG KONG'S EARNINGS FROM DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS LAST YEAR TOTALLED $2,425 MILLION, COMPARED WITH $1,740 MILLION IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AT THE END OF 1973 THE INDUSTRY COMPRISED 350 FACTORIES EMPLOYING MORE THAN 55,000 WORKERS ABOUT NINE PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S LABOUR FORCE.
THE INDUSTRY STARTED WITH THE ASSEMBLY OF TRANSISTOR RADIOS IN THE LATE 1950'S. IT HAS SINCE DIVERSIFIED INTO THE MANUFACTURE AND ASSEMBLY OF A WIDE RANGE OF SOPHISTICATED ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS AND COMPONENTS.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 75 PER CENT OF THE INDUSTRY'S PRODUCTION IS FOR EXPORT. THE UNITED STATES HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN THE LARGEST MARKET, TAKING 45 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S EXPORTS OF ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS IN 1973.
OTHER MAJOR MARKETS INCLUDE THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, CANADA AND TAIWAN,
FOREIGN PARTICIPATION HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY. AT PRESENT ABOUT 64 FACTORIES HAVE OVERSEAS INTERESTS IN THEM, AND TUTAL INVESTMENT IS ESTIMATED AT $280 MILLION,
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