8
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1985
IN RESPONSE TO CONCERN EXPRESSED OVER THE SURGE IN PROTECTIONISM BY HONG KONG'S MAJOR MARKETS, MR HO SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS ALERT TJ THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS THREAT. WE USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PRESS HONG KONG'S CASE, THROUGH OUR OVERSEAS OFFICE, COORDINATION WITH OTHER LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AT FORA ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE, HIGH-LEVEL VISITS BY BOTH UNOFFICIALS AND OFFICIALS, TO THE U.S. AND EUROPE, INTERVENTION BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THROUGH MINISTERS AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON,+
+WHILE THERE ARE NO ACCURATE MEASURES OF SUCCESS IT IS CLEAR THAT ALL THESE EFFORTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG ESPECIALLY ITS OPEN MARKET, ITS GENUINE FREE TRADE POLICY AND ITS RECORD ON PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.+
HE ADDED THAT ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT WHICH MIGHT ASSIST IN OUR EFFORTS IN MAINTAINING AN OPEN MULTILATERAL TRADING ENVIRONMENT IS THE IMMINENT LAUNCHING OF A NEW ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS IN GATT WITH THE AIM TO RE-VITALISING THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM.
ON THE CALL BY SEVERAL UNOFFICIALS FOR GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW ITS POLICY OF POSITIVE NON-INTERVENTIONISM TOWARDS INDUSTRY, MR HO SAID THE GOVERNMENT SAW ITS OBLIGATIONS AS FOLLOWS:
* PROVIDING AN EFFICIENT AND ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE;
* PROVIDING A STABLE ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO INDUSTRIAL
INVESTMENT:
*
*
*
ENSURING AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF TRAINED MANPOWER;
ASSISTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY TO HELP INDUSTRIES TO UPGRADE THEMSELVES AND IN WHICH THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT'S OVERSEAS INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION OFFICES AND ITS BACK-UP SERVICE IN HONG KONG AS WELL AS THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL ESTATES CORPORATION, THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG DESIGN INNOVATION COMPANY ALL HAVE A VITAL ROLE AND
PROVIDING TECHNICAL BACK-UP SERVICES INCLUDING THE STANDARDS AND CALIBRATION LABORATORY AND THE LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEME.
+WE MUST STOP SHORT OF TELLING INDUSTRY WHAT TO DO, AS IT IS OUR CONVICTION THAT BUSINESS DECISIONS ARE BEST TAKEN BY BUSINESSMEN AND NOT BY BUREAUCRATS,+
HE ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT ADOPT THE POLICY OF SUBSIDISING INDUSTRY.
+NOT ONLY DO WE NOT BELIEVE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SUCH AN APPROACH, WE ARE ALSO VERY CONSCIOUS OF OUR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATION AS HONG KONG ACCEPTS THE GATT CODE ON SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVA ILING DUTIES.
/+LET US