MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1984
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HK GROUP MEETS JAPAN PREMIER
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, AND A TOP LEVEL HONG KONG ECONOMIC MISSION LED BY SIR S.Y. CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG
JAPAN BUSINESS CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE, WERE TODAY RECEIVED IN TOKYO BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN, MR YASUHIRO NAKASONE.
THE COURTESY CALL AT THE PREMIER'S RESIDENCE WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF A FULL PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS WITH TOP GOVERNMENT, POLITICAL AND INDUSTRY LEADERS ON THE FIRST FULL DAY OF A FOUR- DAY MISSION TO THE JAPANESE CAPITAL.
THE PRIME MINISTER EXPRESSED GREAT INTEREST IN THE SINO- BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, NOT ONLY TO HONG KONG ITSELF BUT TO THE ASIAN-PACIFIC REGION AS A WHOLE.
HE ADDED THAT THE REGION WAS THE MOST RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA OF THE WORLD AND EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF HONG KONG AS A CATALYST FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION.
THE HONG KONG DELEGATION ALSO RECEIVED ASSURANCES OF JAPAN'S WILLINGNESS TO OPEN ITS MARKET TO HONG KONG EXPORTS.
AT A MEETING WITH MR MASUMI ESAKI, CHAIRMAN OF THE RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S INFLUENTIAL SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC MEASURES, THE HONG KONG MISSION WAS TOLD OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION OF EXPEDITING MARKET OPENING MEASURES IN A NUMBER OF AREAS.
THE MISSION'S MEETING WITH MR ESAKI, WHO ALSO HOSTED A LUNCHEON FOR THE DELEGATION, WAS SEEN AS HIGHLY ENCOURAGING FOR HONG KONG'S TRADE PROSPECTS IN JAPAN.
THE MISSION'S PROGRAMME FOR TODAY ALSO INCLUDED VISITS TO THE MAJOR JAPANESE MINISTRIES RESPONSIBLE FOR ECONOMIC AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT, WHERE SIR EDWARD AND THE HONG KONG DELEGATES HELD TALKS WITH THE FINANCE MINISTER, MR NOBORU TAKESHITA, THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR KEIJIRO MURATA, AND THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE ECONOMIC PLANNING AGENCY, MR IPPEI KANEKO.
SIR EDWARD AND THE HONG KONG TEAM TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THESE MEETINGS TO EXPLAIN THE DETAILS OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT TO THE JAPANESE SIDE, AS WELL AS DISCUSSING A WIDE RANGE OF BILATERAL TRADE AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.
THE DELEGATES EMPHASISED THE MUTUAL BENEFITS TO BE GAINED THROUGH EXPANDING BUSINESS COOPERATION AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WHICH HONG KONG PROVIDES JAPANESE BUSINESS INVESTORS, PARTICULARLY AS A BASE FOR HIGH TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY.
TODAY'S PROGRAMLE