+
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1984
REPLYING TO CRITICISM THAT IT WAS BAD TIMING FOR THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS MARGARET THATCHER TO ANNOUNCE HER VISIT TO PEKING BEFORE THE ASSESSMENT REPORT WAS PUBLISHED, SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE ON THE BASIS THAT IT WAS SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
+THAT YOU WILL FIND IN THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH WAS MADE IN LONDON, HE SAID.
+BUT DO REMEMBER THAT THE REPORT WAS PUBLISHED YESTERDAY, BUT WE HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE THEN.
+SHE WAS AWARE OF IT BEFORE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE. ANY DELAY WAS ACTUALLY GETTING IT PRINTED, WHICH WAS QUITE A MAJOR JOB, HE SAID.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE PEKING GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE OF THE ASSESSMENT REPORT.
ASKED HOW HE FELT ABOUT THE YEAR 1984, THE GOVERNOR TOLD REPORTERS THAT THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE EVENT WAS UNDOUBTEDLY THE CONCLUSION OF THE AGREEMENT.
+ BUT ALSO I THINK THAT THE REPORT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, WHICH HAS INDICATED THAT THE AGREEMENT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG...THAT IS ANOTHER UNFORGETTABLE EVENT.
AND WHAT WOULD HE WISH FOR 19857 HE WAS ASKED. MY WISH FOR 1985 IS THAT HONG KONG IS AS PROSPEROUS AND DEVELOPS AS FAST AS IT DID IN 1984,+ HE SAID.
INVESTMENT VITAL TO GROWTH, GOVERNOR SAYS ****
INVESTMENT AND REINVESTMENT BY OVERSEAS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES WERE VITAL TO THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC GROWTH OF HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
AND THERE WERE ALREADY SIGNS OF AN IMPROVEMENT IN INVESTOR SENTIMENT, HE ADDED.
+WE WARMLY WELCOME THIS BECAUSE, IF HONG KONG IS TO MAINTAIN ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE IN THE FACE OF INCREASINGLY STIFF COMPETITION, IT MUST INVEST IN NEW PLANT AND KEEP ABREAST OF NEW TECHNOLOGY, + HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD SAID THE PUBLICATION OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN SEPTEMBER HAD REMOVED MUCH OF THE UNCERTAINTY WHICH HAD WORRIED OVERSEAS AND LOCAL INVESTORS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
/HE WAS