THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1984
BE MORE ORIGINAL, ERIC HO URGES INDUSTRY
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THE NEED FOR HONG KONG TO CREATE NEW PRODUCTS WAS STRESSED TODAY BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E.P. HO.
THIS WAS BECAUSE OTHER INDUSTRIAL CENTRES IN THE REGION WERE BECOMING AVAILABLE TO TAKE ON THE ROLE OF SUBCONTRACTOR IN OFFSHORE MANUFACTURING, HE SAID.
MR HO WAS SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF THE 1984 NEW PRODUCTS COMPETITION ORGANISED BY THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG.
OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES, HE SAID, HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY HAD BECOME RENOWNED AS AN OFFSHORE SUBCONTRACTING CENTRE FOR MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS TO THE DESIGN AND SPECIFICATIONS OF BUYERS. AT THE SAME TIME, HONG KONG HAD SOMETIMES BEEN CRITICISED OVERSEAS FOR COPYING OTHER PEOPLE'S DESIGNS, AND FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE ORIGINAL IDEAS,
+INDEED, WHILE OUR DEXTERITY AND EFFICIENCY HAVE BEEN PRAISED, ORIGINALITY AND INNOVATION SEEM ALL TOO OFTEN TO HAVE BEEN MISSING IN APPRAISALS OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE, + HE SAID.
HE SAID THAT THOUGH SUCH OBSERVATIONS WERE SOMETIMES EXAGGERATED, THERE WAS UNQUESTIONABLY A NEED FOR HONG KONG INDUSTRY TO DEVOTE MORE OF ITS RESOURCES TO PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT LOCAL MANUFACTURERS COULD CREATE THEIR OWN NEW PRODUCTS AND GENERATE SUBSEQUENT DEMAND FOR THEM.
+IN ADDITION, IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN AND IMPROVE FURTHER UPON THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF OUR WORK FORCE, WE MUST RAISE THE HONG KONG VALUE ADDED TO OUR MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS AS WE HAVE NO RAW MATERIALS OF OUR OWN,+ SAID MR HO.
CONGRATULATING THE CMA FOR ITS UNFAILING EFFORTS IN ENCOURAGING PRODUCTION INNOVATION, MR HO SAID HE WAS GLAD TO HEAR IT NOW PLANNED TO TAKE A FURTHER INITIATIVE BY SPONSORING A PRODUCT CONSULTANCY SERVICE FOR MANUFACTURERS.
+1 LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE OF THIS WHEN THE DETAILS ARE ANNOUNCED AND I URGE CMA MEMBERS TO MAKE FULL USE OF THIS NEW SERVICE WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, MR HO SAID.
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