THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1977
KEEN RESPONSE FROM U.S. FIRMS TO HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL INVESTMEN
PROMOTION MISSION
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THE FIRST OF A NUMBER OF UNITED STATES COMPANIES WILL BE COMING TO HONG KONG NEXT WEEK TO CARRY OUT FEASIBILITY STUDIES OF THE ADVANTAGES OF SETTING UP FACTORIES HERE.
FIVE MORE ARE EXPECTED IN APRIL AND MAY TO BE FOLLOWED LATER BY OTHERS.
THIS WAS REVEALED TODAY BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. ROY PORTER, WHO HAS JUST RETURNED FROM A VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES WHERE HE HAD CONDUCTED AN INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT PROMOTION MISSION.
MR. PORTER BELIEVES THAT THE THREE-WEEK MISSION WILL PROVE TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL THAT HAS YET GONE FROM HONG KONG TO THE UNITED STATES.
HE SOUNDED A NOTE OF CAUTION, HOWEVER, IN SAYING THAT ALTHOUGH THE PROSPECTS LOOKED GOOD, +NO MISSION CAN BE SAID TO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL UNTIL NEW PRODUCTION LINES HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG. AND THAT CAN TAKE AS LONG AS TWO YEARS.+
THE MISSION VISITED LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO AND DALLAS, CALLING ON 24 COMPANIES IN THOSE CITIES. IT WAS PRECEDED BY A PILOT MISSION LED BY MR. PETER LO, PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICER, WHO IS HEAD OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION BRANCH. MR. LO WAS ASSISTED BY MRS. JENNY WALLIS, ASSISTANT TRADE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE U.S. SECTION OF THE BRANCH.
MR. PORTER ATTRIBUTED THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS, THE CHIEF ONE BEING THE PROFESSIONAL APPROACH AND THE SHEER HARD WORK PUT INTO IT.
+MISSION OF THIS TYPE ARE NOW VERY COMMON, PARTICULARLY IN THE UNITED STATES,+ HE SAID. THE MORE IMPORTANT COMPANIES ARE RECEIVING MANY APPROACHES AND ARE CONSEQUENTLY BECOMING WARY OF THEM. SO EVEN TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE TOP DECISION MAKERS YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK AND KNOW PRECISELY WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.+
+ THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE HONG KONG APPROACH WAS COMMENTED UPON FAVOURABLY SEVERAL TIMES,+ SAID MR. PORTER, +BUT WE ARE NOT COMPLACENT ABOUT IT. ON EACH MISSION WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW AND HAVE TO USE THE EXPERIENCE TO IMPROVE ON OUR TECHNIQUES.+
/MR, PORTER