WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1984
14
TALKS ON FUTURE OF HONG KONG MOVING STEADILY: LUCE
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THE FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG, MR RICHARD LUCE, SAID YESTERDAY (MARCH 13) THAT THE TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WERE MOVING STEADILY AND THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD SUCCEED FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
MR LUCE WAS SPEAKING AT THE GUILD HALL IN LONDON AT THE LAUNCHING OF A SERIES OF GALA EVENINGS BEING STAGED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN BRITAIN THIS MONTH.
COMMENTING ON HIS VISITS TO HONG KONG, MR LUCE SAID THE STRONGEST WISH HE HAD DETECTED ON THE PART OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WAS FOR THE GREATEST DEGREE OF CONTINUITY IN THEIR WAY OF LIFE AND FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THEIR PROSPERITY AND THEIR STABILITY.
HE SAID THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAD A COMMON OBJECTIVE TO THAT END AND THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS WORKING VERY HARD FOR THE BEST DEAL FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
GUESTS AT THE GALA EVENING THAT HONG KONG DYNAMIC AS EVER.
MR LUCE TOLD THE WAS AS VIBRANT AND AS
+IN THE LAST PART OF 1983, THERE WAS A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN EXPORTS FROM HONG KONG TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND THERE IS A VERY HEAVY INVESTMENT PROGRAMME ON THE PART OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, IN PUBLIC WORKS AND IN SOCIAL PROGRAMMES, WHICH IN ITSELF IS A MARK OF THE CONFIDENCE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN THEIR PEOPLE AND IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE.+
HE SAID THE TRADING AS WELL AS THE CULTURAL LINK BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG WAS STRONG AND THAT THEY WERE VERY IMPORTANT TRADING PARTNERS..
+HONG KONG'S EXPORTS TO BRITAIN IN 1983 WENT UP BY 19 PER CENT. BRITAIN'S EXPORTS TO HONG KONG INCREASED ANNUALLY BY AN AVERAGE OF 15 PER CENT SINCE 1979, + HE POINTED OUT.
+HONG KONG THEREFORE IS A MAJOR MARKET FOR BRITAIN, IN AREAS SUCH AS TRANSPORT AND ENERGY.+
MR LUCE ADDED THAT BRITAIN AND HONG KONG WERE SEEKING TO STRENGTHEN THE TWO-WAY COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL AND CULTURAL LINKS.
THE GALA EVENING WAS HOSTED BY THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER, SIR JACK CATER AND UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, MISS LYDIA DUNN,
/IN ATTENDANCE