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THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1985
GOVERNOR STRESSES CLOSE TRADE LINKS WITH U.S.
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THE NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR THE AMERICAS OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION IS A FURTHER SYMBOL OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HONG KONG'S CLOSE FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL LINKS WITH THE UNITED STATES.
THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID THIS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY IN NEW YORK THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE OPENING OF THE FINE NEW HEADQUARTERS+ UNDERLINED THE CONTINUING DYNAMIC ROLE WHICH HONG KONG EXPECTED TO PLAY IN THE YEARS TO COME.
IT WAS A DISTINGUISHED GROUP WHICH GATHERED OUTSIDE THE SNOW BUILDING WITH EVERYONE COOPERATING EXCEPT THE WEATHER. COVERED THE GROUND AND CONTINUED TO FALL HEAVILY DURING THE OPENING CEREMONY, WITH THE TEMPERATURE AROUND FIVE DEGREES BELOW ZERO (CELSIUS).
A BRIGHT RED RIBBON WAS STRETCHED TIGHTLY BETWEEN TWO STANCHIONS AT THE DOORWAY, WITH RED BUNTING DECORATING VARIOUS SURROUNDING WALLS.
THE GOVERNOR AND LADY YOUDE, WHO WERE ELEGANTLY DRESSED. FOR THE OCCASION, WERE MET ON ARRIVAL BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION, MR MICHAEL SANDBERG, AND INTRODUCED TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BANK'S PARTY.
THE MAYOR THEN THEY WERE FOLLOWED BY NEW YORK MAYOR ED KOCH. SPOKE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HONG KONG AND NEW YORK CITY, STATING THAT THEY WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE, BOTH BEING MULTI-ETHNİC AND BOOMING. BOTH CITIES, HE SAID, DO A THRIVING BUSINESS IN TEXTILES, FASHION AND PRINTING.
THE GOVERNOR THEN DELIVERED HIS SPEECH, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A LION DANCE. SIR EDWARD DOTTED ONE EYE OF THE LION WHILE MAYOR KOCH DOTTED THE OTHER AND THE MULTI-COLOURED LION CAME TO LIFE THE BRIGHT AMID THE DIN OF EXPLODING STRINGS OF FIRECRACKERS. YELLOW AND RED LION WAS BROUGHT IN FROM NEW YORK'S BUSTLING CHINATOWN WITH EIGHT CHINESE YOUNGSTERS.
AFTER THE LION DANCE, SIR EDWARD CUT THE RIBBON TO DECLARE THE BANK OPEN. THE CEREMONY ENDED WITH A RECEPTION.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF SIR EDWARD'S ADDRESS AT THE OPENING:
+MR SANDBERG, MAYOR KOCH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
+THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS OF WELCOME.
+1 TOO AM GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY FOR THE OPENING OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION'S NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR
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