FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1977
5
DUKE OF KENT PRAISED HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENTS
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THE DUKE OF KENT PRAISED HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENTS AS SOMETHING + IMPOSSIBLE TO THINK OF A PARALLEL.
HE WAS SPEAKING AS THE GUEST OF HONOUR AT THE FOURTH HONG KONG ASSOCIATION'S +DRAGON BOAT+ DINNER IN LONDON'S SAVOY HOTEL YESTERDAY (THURSDAY).
AMONG THE 300 DISTINGUISHED GUESTS WERE MR. EVAN LUARD PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE- MR. D.F. MURRAY, UNDER SECRETARY, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE SIR PETER CAREY, PERMANENT UNDER SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY= SIR PAUL BRYAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE ANGLO-HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP= SIR ANTHONY ROYLE, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND OTHER SENIOR BRITISH OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND LEADERS OF LONDON'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
HRH, WHO IS VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BRITISH OVERSEAS TRADE BOARD, SAID SO IN THE JUBILEE YEAR OF 1977 IT IS NOT INAPPROPRIATE TO CONGRATULATE THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG ON THE IR ENERGY AND THE IR ENLIGHTENED POLICIES WHICH HAVE ACHIEVED THIS REMARKABLE RECORD, I DON'T DOUBT THAT IF WE EXAMINED THAT RECORD WE COULD FIND IN IT SOME PRETTY USEFUL LESSONS FOR OURSELVES, THE DUKE SAID.
THE DUKE SAID THE EXTREMELY RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE A MAGNET FOR BRITISH INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY ON THE CAPITAL GOODS SIDE, AND HE HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE REMAINED AN AMAZING DEGREE OF IGNORANCE AMONG BRITISH INDUSTRIALISTS AS TO THE OPPORTUNITIES HONG KONG OFFERED.
+WE INTEND TO TRY AND CORRECT THAT STATE OF AFFAIRS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. THE MOST SPECTACULAR IS A MAJOR EXHIBITION OF MACHINERY AND TECHNOLOGY WHICH THE BRITISH OVERSEAS TRADE BOARD PLANS TO MOUNT IN HONG KONG IN EARLY 1978 -- AND I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT THE RESPONSE TO THIS PLAN SO FAR HAS BEEN MOST ENCOURAGING.
+ IF IT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE I HOPE TO GET TO SEE THIS EXHIBITION MYSELF, HE SAID.
THE DUKE ADDED THAT THIS YEAR, THE BOARD WOULD BE SUPPORTING ABOUT 200 BRITISH BUSINESSMEN ON VISITS TO HONG KONG, AS MEMBERS OF TRADE MISSIONS COVERING A VAST RANGE OF PRODUCTS FROM HEAVY INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT TO MANY KINDS OF CONSUMER ITEMS.
DR. HARRY FANG, WHO IS IN LONDON AS A MEMBER OF A COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION DELEGATION AND WHO WAS A GUEST AT THE DINNER, TOLD THE GATHERING THAT THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG HAD COME ABOUT NOT ONLY THROUGH THE WISE AND DEDICATED LEADERSHIP OF SUCCES- SIVE GOVERNORS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THROUGH THE SHEER HARD WORK AND RESILENCE OF THE WORK FORCE.
/HE SAID