5.
FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1975
TRADE MISSION TO WOO BRITISH INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT
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TWO SENIOR HONG KONG OFFICIALS WILL LEAVE FOR BRITIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH (JUNE) TO TELL BRITISH INDUSTRIALISTS IN LONDON, BIRMINGHAM AND MANCHESTER ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR MANUFACTURING VENTURES IN HONG KONG.
THE OFFICIALS ARE MR. ROY PORTER OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, AND MR. S.K. HO OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
OFFICIALS FROM SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA WILL ALSO TAKE PART IN THE SERIES OF SEMINARS AND DISCUSSIONS ORGANISED BY THE CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRIES, AND WILL BE HAMMERING HOME A SIMILAR MESSAGE ABOUT PROSPECTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES.
MORE THAN 200 BRITISH INDUSTRIALISTS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND THE SEMINARS WHICH WILL BE HELD CONSECUTIVELY IN THE THREE BRITISH CITIES. THESE TALKS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANT COMPANIES AT BOARDROOM LEVEL.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT SAID THAT COMPETITION BETWEEN SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA AND HONG KONG WOULD BE STRONG, BUT ADDED: +WE ARE CONFIDENT OF OUR COMPETITIVE POSITION.+
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT BRITISH INTEREST IN LOCAL INDUSTRY AT PRESENT ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 10 PER CENT OF OVERALL FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG, AND ADDED THAT THERE WERE VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE BRITISH INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT HERE.
+MANY BRITISH INDUSTRIES HAVE PARTICULAR RELEVANCE TO HONG KONG'S PRESENT STATE OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. IN ENGINEERING, PARTICULARLY, BRITISH INDUSTRIAL KNOWLEDGE WAS MOST VALUABLE TO HONG KONG'S FURTHER DEVELOPMENT,+ HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE EXPERIENCE GAINED FROM A SIMILAR MISSION TO AUSTRALIA EARLIER THIS YEAR HAD SHOWN THAT DIRECT APPROACHES PRODUCED GOOD RESPONSE.
THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED : +IT IS LIKELY SOME OF THE BRITISH COMPANIES APPROACHED MAY BE INTERESTED IN JOINT VENTURES WITH HONG KONG INDUSTRIALIST. THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT INVITES LOCAL MANUFACTURERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GOING INTO SUCH VENTURES WITH BRITISH FIRMS TO CONTACT MR. PETER LO, PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICER OF THE INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION BRANCH (TEL. NO. 5-248280).+
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