SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1984
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LOOK AHEAD WITH CONFIDENCE, GOVERNOR TELLS BUSINESS
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WITH THE REMOVAL OF UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT 1997, HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL LEADERS SHOULD AGAIN FEEL ABLE TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID TONIGHT.
THEY SHOULD ALSO RECOGNISE THAT THEY HAD A VITAL PART TO PLAY IN MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND MAKING IT A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH ITS PEOPLE COULD LIVE AND WORK, SIR EDWARD SAID.
THE GOVERNOR WAS SPEAKING JUST BEFORE OPENING THE HONG KONG WOMEN'S SPORTSWEAR GALA SHOW, PRESENTED BY THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TONIGHT.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH:
+MISS DUNN, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS:
+ IT WAS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I ACCEPTED YOUR INVITATION TO THE GALA SHOW TONIGHT. I HAVE LONG BEEN AWARE THAT ANY PRESENTATION TO WHICH YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL LEND YOUR NAMES IS BOUND TO BE A MAJOR EVENT. THIS GALA SHOW WILL, I AM SURE, BE NO EXCEPTION. THE SPORTSWEAR WHICH WILL BE DISPLAYED BEFORE US THIS EVENING WILL BE INDICATIVE NOT ONLY OF THE GOOD ORGANISATION AND PROFESSIONAL ISM OF MISS ELEANOR WONG AND HER HARD WORKING ORGANISING COMMITTEE, IT WILL REFLECT THE WIDE RANGE AND HIGH QUALITY OF WHAT HONG KONG CAN PRODUCE IN THIS FIELD. AND IT WILL LEAD, I AM CONFIDENT, TO MANY A CONTRACT BEING NEGOTIATED BEFORE THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMME IS COMPLETE.
+THIS GALA SHOW IS ALSO A TIMELY EVENT. HONG KONG IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST EXPORTER OF GARMENTS, BY VALUE, AND THIS AS SECTOR OF OUR INDUSTRY IS A MAJOR PILLAR OF OUR ECONOMY. AN ECONOMY WITHOUT RESOURCES EXCEPT FOR OUR HARD WORKING PEOPLE AND OUR EXCELLENT LOCATION, HONG KONG RELIES ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND WILL CONTINUE TO RELY ON IT IN THE FUTURE. OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARRIFS AND TRADE AND ARRANGEMENTS GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TEXTILES IS VITAL TO HONG KONG'S CONTINUING VIABILITY AS A MAJOR EXPORT CENTRE. IT WILL, I AM SURE, BE A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU, AS IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN TO US, THAT THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE INITIALLED THIS WEEK PROVIDES FOR ALL THESE TO CONTINUE. HONG KONG WILL REMAIN A FREE ENTERPRISE ECONOMY AND MAINTAIN ITS FREE PART STATUS.
+ IT WILL CONTINUE TO DETERMINE ITS OWN ECONOMIC POLICIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS OWN NEEDS. IT WILL CONTINUE ITS PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS AND ORGANISATIONS AND ENJOY ITS OWN QUOTAS PREFERENCES AND SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS. THIS MEANS, AS I EXPLAINED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL EARLIER THIS WEEK, THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC LIFE-BLOOD CAN CONTINUE TO FLOW WITH THE SAME VIGOUR IN FUTURE AS IN THE PAST.
/+I REMAIN