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MONDAY, APRIL 29, 1985
HK'S ATTRACTIONS OUTLINED IN NEW YORK
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HONG KONG OFFERED SERIOUS ATTRACTIONS FOR ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPING STRENGTH AND IMPORTANCE OF THE PACIFIC REGION, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, DESIGNATE, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES SAID IN NEW YORK TODAY.
MR AKERS-JONES, WHO IS IN THE COURSE OF VISITS TO HONG KONG'S OVERSEAS OFFICES, WAS ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ASIA SOCIETY.
HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG WAS WITHIN EASY REACH OF ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION, HAD A STABLE ENVIRONMENT AND A FUTURE ASSURED BY AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED AGREEMENT.
+AS A RESULT OF THE AGREEMENT, HONG KONG ITSELF IS NO LONGER GROPING IN THE DARK, UNCERTAIN OF ITS FUTURE, LIVING FROM DAY TO DAY, EARNING ITSELF THE CAPTION BORROWED PLACE, BORROWED TIME',+ MR ÅKERS-JONES SAID.
THE TASK BEFORE HONG KONG, HE SAID, WAS TO EQUIP ITSELF IN EVERY SPHERE OF ACTIVITY BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 SO AS FAITHFULLY AND SINCERELY TO IMPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS EXTREMELY DETAILED PROVISIONS, AND TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM ITS PRESENT STATUS INTO THAT OF A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND TO SECURE THE LIVELIHOOD OF ITS PEOPLE, HE SAID.
POINTING OUT THAT THERE ARE 12 YEARS TO ACHIEVE THIS, MR AKERS-JONES SAID:
+THIS IS THE CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR HONG KONG.
+1 AM CONFIDENT THAT WITH THE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING OF OUR FRIENDS, THIS REMARKABLE AND UNIQUE ENTERPRISE WILL SUCCEED AND WILL BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS.
HE SAID THAT AS EARLY AS 1983, HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL ISTS HAD BEGUN THEIR OWN ROAD TO RECOVERY IN RESPONSE TO DEMAND IN OVERSEAS MARKETS, BY A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS, UNDAUNTED BY THE 1982 WORLD RECESSION AND THE INITIAL NERVOUSNESS OF INVESTORS OVER THE NEGOTIATIONS ON ITS FUTURE.
THE STABLE EXCHANGE RATE ACHIEVED BY LINKING THE HONG KONG DOLLAR TO THE UNITED STATES DOLLAR IN THE AUTUMN OF THAT YEAR ALSO ASSISTED IN THE DRAMATIC RECOVERY OF THE ECONOMY, HE SAID.
+AND AS WE MOVED TOWARDS THE CONCLUSION OF THE AGREEMENT IN 1984, NEW INVESTMENT IN PLANT AND MACHINERY AND IMPORTS OF CAPITAL GOODS GREW BY OVER 20 PER CENT.
/ HONG KONG