TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1979
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+WE HAVE RELAXED THE EXCHANGE CONTROLS. WE HAVE INTRODUCED NEW POLICIES TO ENCOURAGE THE SMALL FIRMS FROM WHICH WE BELIEVE THAT MUCH GROWTH CAN COME, HE SAID.
IN SHORT, MR. BLAKER SAID, BRITAIN WAS DOING HER BEST TO RETURNING TO FREE ENTERPRISE. +PROBABLY OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO WE SHOULD HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME, BUT WE HAVE TO STICK TO OUR GUNS.+
MR. BLAKER SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE EXAMPLES SET BY CALIFORNIA, WHERE A CUT IN TAXATION A YEAR OR MORE AGO RESULTED IN A LARGE INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT, AND BY HONG KONG WHERE MANY VISITING BRITISH MINISTERS HAD BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE SUCCESS OF A COMBINATION OF ORDER AND FREE ENTERPRISE.
MR. BLAKER SAID HONG KONG WAS A SUCCESS STORY, YET BY ALL THE LAWS OF REASONS HONG KONG SHOULD NOT EXIST.
+ IF ALL THE FACTS ABOUT THE TERRITORY WERE FED INTO A COMPUTER, ITS SIZE, ITS PHYSICAL CIRCUMSTANCES, ITS LACK OF RESOURCES, THE NUMBERS CRAMPED INTO THIS SMALL SPACE, THE COMPUTER WILL PROVE THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR SUCH A PLACE TO EXIST.
+YET HERE YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST THRIVING DYNAMIC PLACES IN ASIA. IT WILL BE THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THIS REMARKABLE PROGRESS, HE SAID.
MR. BLAKER SAID ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS WERE AT PRESENT EXCELLENT, INCLUDING THE RELATIONS OVER HONG KONG,
+ BELIEVE THAT ONE OF OUR COMMON INTEREST IS THE CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SEES HONG KONG AS HAVING AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THEIR POLICY OF RAPID MODERNISATION.
+I AM SURE THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL BE WELCOMED IN HONG KONG AND THAT CO-OPERATION OF THIS SORT WILL IMPROVE RELATIONS STILL FURTHER,+ HE SAID.
MR. BLAKER ADDED THAT THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO BEIJING EARLIER THIS YEAR SHOWED HOW CLOSE AND FRIENDLY THESE RELATIONS NOW ARE AND NEXT MONTH BRITAIN LOOKS FORWARD TO SEEING THE CHINESE PREMIER IN LONDON.
SAID.
+THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THESE DEVELOPMENTS,+ HE
ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, MR. BLAKER PAID TIRBUTE TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, FOR THE GREAT EFFORTS HE MADE BOTH IN THE GENEVA CONFERENCE AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
+WHAT WE NOW HAVE TO DO IS TO MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE ON VIETNAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FLOW DOES NOT BEGIN AGAIN IN LARGE QUANTITIES AND WE HAVE, SECONDLY, TO CONTINUE WITH OUR EFFORTS TO PERSUADE OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT HONG KONG IS CARRYING PROPORTIONATELY A BIGGER BURDEN OF REFUGEES THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY AND THESE EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.+
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