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WEDNESDAY, OCT....ER 14, 1981
GOVERNMENT TACKLING TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS OF
ELECTRON ICS INDUSTRY ****
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS TACKLING TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS FACING THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR BILL DORWARD SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ONE IS IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE INDUSTRY AND THE GOVERNMENT, AND THE OTHER IS THE BATTLE AGAINST PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES, HE TOLD THE AUDIENCE WHILE OPENING THE FIRST HONG KONG ELECTRONICS SHOW AT THE HOTEL MIRAMAR.
+1 AM ACUTELY AWARE THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS FACING SCTORS OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY, WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS TEND TO CUT THE MANUFACTURER OFF FROM THE LAYMAN, IS THE MATTER OF COMMUNICATION WITH GOVERNMENT AND QUASI-GOVERNMENT BODIES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IRONIC IN THE CASE OF THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY WHICH IS, MORE THAN ANY OTHER, DEDICATED TO THE BUSINESS OF COMMUNICATION, HE SAID.
MR DORWARD ANNOUNCED THAT A NEW DIVISION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE BUILT UP IN 1982 TO PROVIDE A POINT OF CONTACT WITH INDUSTRY, WHERE GOVERNMENT SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ACT AS INTERLOCUTORS BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND THE ADMINISTRATION.
MR DORWARD SAID THE PROBLEMS OF THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY WERE NOT, HOWEVER, CONFINED TO TECHNICAL MATTERS.
+AFTER TEXTILES IT IS PROBABLY THE INDUSTRY MOST IN THE FIRING LINE AS FAR AS PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES ARE CONCERNED. IT IS IRONIC THAT SO MUCH OF THIS SPACE-AGE INDUSTRY IS LABOUR INTENSIVE WHICH MAKES IT A PRIME TARGET FOR CLAIMS IN THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST SO-CALLED 'LOW COST' COMPETITION.+
+1 AM NOT LOOKING TO DISPUTE THAT CASE TODAY. I MERELY TAKE NOTE OF THE SITUATION, AND OF THE HANDFUL OF VOLUNTARY RESTRAINT AGREEMENTS' OR 'ORDERLY MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS' WHICH HAVE BEEN ENTERED INTO BY A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION, SAID MR DORWARD.
+THESE ARE PARTICULARLY CONCENTRATED ON TELEVISION SETS, AN AREA OF PRODUCTION WHICH I THINK WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED IN HONG KONG IN THE NEAR FUTURE.+
MR DORWARD STRESSED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS OPPOSED TO THE CONCEPT OF VOLUN ARY RESTRAINTS ON THIS OR ANY OTHER SECTOR OF TRADE, AND WOULD RESIST THEM WITH ALL VIGOUR,
/THE ELECTRONI