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FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1985

ASKED WHETHER HE EXPECTED THE UK GOVERNMENT TO DO SOMETHING FOR HONG KONG OVER THE BILL, THE ACTING GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS BASICALLY HONG KONG'S PROBLEM.

+ I THINK IT IS BASICALLY A QUESTION FOR HONG KONG AND FOR EXPORTERS IN HONG KONG TO THE UNITED STATES, AND FOR OUR OWN TRADE DEPARTMENT,+ HE SAID.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, SIR DAVID SAID CRITICISMS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT HELPING INDUSTRY TO PROMOTE HIGH TECHNOLOGY WERE UNJUSTIFIED.

ONE MUST LOOK AT THE WORKINGS AND THE ADVICE OF BODIES SUCH AS THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD, THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL, AND THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, HE SAID.

+MANY, MANY ORGANISATIONS ARE AT WORK IN VARIOUS WAYS UPGRADING OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR TRADING AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS, I HE ADDED.

ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD +BEND THE RULE+ ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS FOR THE 14 +BOAT BRIDES+ WHO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO RETURN TO CHINA, SIR DAVID SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THEY WERE GOING TO UMELCO TODAY AND THE GOVERNMENT MUST WAIT UNTIL UMELCO HAS HAD TIME TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY AND PASS ON WHATEVER ADVICE THEY WISH TO GIVE.

HE ADDED THAT THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY HAD GIVEN A VERY DETAILED RESPONSE TO A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOAT BRIDES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

'REPATRIATED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACCEPTED BACK IN CHINA'

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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (FRIDAY) REITERATED THAT THERE WAS NO GROUND TO BELIEVE THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT BOAT WIVES WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED BY THEIR ORIGINAL COMMUNITIES IN CHINA.

AS WAS EXPLAINED BY THE ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION, MR JOHN YEUNG ON JULY 4, IT HAS BEEN THE LONG STANDING PRACTICE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO REPATRIATE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO CHINA, SOME OF WHOM MIGHT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THEY HAVE ALL BEEN ACCEPTED BACK READILY AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, SIX BOAT WIVES WHO VIOLATED THEIR CONDITIONS OF REMAINING IN HONG KONG WATERS HAVE BEEN REPATRIATED EARLIER THIS YEAR AND WERE READILY ACCEPTED BACK.

/IN THE

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