MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984
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TIME NOW FOR ECONOMIC ACTION, TIEN URGES
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WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT COMPLETE WE SHOULD TURN OUR ATTENTION TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE
HON FRANCIS TIEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (MONDAY).
MR TIEN, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE HON ROGER LOBO'S MOTION ENDORSING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, SAID NOW THAT THE ACTUAL NEGOTIATIONS WERE OVER, AND WHILE WAITING FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE FINAL FORMAL IT IÉS, IT WAS NECESSARY FOR CERTAIN ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN SO THAT THE AGREEMENT BECAME A SPRING-BOARD FOR OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
+FIRST, STEPS MUST BE TAKEN URGENTLY TO ENSURE THE HEALTH OF THE PROPERTY MARKET IN THE INTEREST OF STABILITY, HE SAID.
+SECOND, STEPS MUST BE TAKEN TO ATTRACT MORE CHINESE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG.+
ATTEMPTS WERE BEING MADE TO INDUCE HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN TO INVEST IN CHINA, AND THIS WAS MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN IF CHINA IN TURN INVESTED IN HONG KONG, THUS STIMULATING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL FUTURE.
THE FUTURE WOULD NO DOUBT BE 'EVER BRIGHT'.
+THIRD, ON A RELATED POINT, I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL PLAYING A BIGGER ROLE IN ENCOURAGING FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN OUR INDUSTRY, + MR TIEN SAID.
+THE TDC IS WELL PLACED TO INCREASE ITS EFFORTS IN THIS FIELD AND MUST BE CALLED UPON TO DO SO.
+FINALLY, ACTION MUST BE TAKEN TO MAINTAIN THE IMPETUS GIVEN TO VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO SUSTAIN THE GROWTH OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY. MANPOWER TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND OUR EFFORTS IN THIS FIELD MUST BE MAINTAINED. WITH SUCH TRAINING, HONG KONG CAN STILL WALK TALL, HE SAID.
ON THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHICH IS TO BE SET UP, MR TIEN SAID HE WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSAL, BUT NOTED THAT THE EXACT ROLE WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE MIGHT PLAY IN THE GROUP WAS NOT MENTIONED.
+ I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ONCE THE PRINCIPAL BASE OF THE GROUP MOVES TO HONG KONG IN 1988 IT SHOULD INCLUDE MEMBERS DRAWN FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, + HE SAID.
+ IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO INCLUDE SOME HONG KONG PEOPLE RIGHT FROM ITS ESTABLISHMENT NEXT YEAR.
+ IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A STRONG REPRESENTATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE WHICH IS TO DRAFT THE BASIC LAW, + MR TIEN SAID.
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