THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1985
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A REMARKABLE YEAR OF PROGRESS SIR DAVID
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THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE YEAR OF PROGRESS IN EVERY ASPECT OF HONG KONG, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE.
SIR DAVID SAID SINCE THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS SIGNED 12 MONTHS AGO, WE'VE HAD SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. THE LAND COMMISSION HAS MADE VERY SATISFACTORY PROGRESS THIS YEAR, AND WE HAVE SOLD LAND IN HONG KONG WITH LEASES WHICH GO THROUGH TO 2047.+
AND IN HONG KONG ITSELF, DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONTINUED, HE SAID.
THIS INCLUDED PLANS FOR THE CONTAINER PORT EXTENSION, THE NEW CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL. THE NEW STANDARD CHARTERED BANK HEADQUARTERS, THE BANK OF CHINA BUILDING, THE THIRD UNIVERSITY, THE JUNK BAY NEW TOWN AND VARIOUS MAJOR ROAD PROJECTS.
+SO I THINK IN EVERY RESPECT IT'S BEEN A REMARKABLE YEAR
OF PROGRESS IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
SIR DAVID WAS SPEAK ING TO REPORTERS AFTER MAKING AN INAUGURAL CALL AT THE GUANGZHOU-SHANTOU MICROWAVE LINK OPENING CEREMONY AT CABLE AND WIRLESS IN HONG KONG.
HE SAID CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG'S PEOPLE HAD BEEN STRENGTHENED SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
*AND IF YOU THINK WHERE WE WOULD BE TODAY IF THERE HAD BEEN NO AGREEMENT LAST YEAR, THEN THAT IS REALLY WHAT YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT, HE SAID.
TURNING TO THE WHITE PAPER ON THE ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG 1984-85 TO THE U.K. PARLIAMENT WHICH WAS TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YESTERDAY, SIR DAVID SAID IT BROUGHT OUT THE QUITE REMARKABLE PROGRESS THAT WE HAD MADE NOT ONLY IN IMPLEMENTING THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, BUT ALSO THE REMARKABLE PROGRESS THAT THE ECONOMY AND VARIOUS OTHER SECTORS OF HONG KONG LIFE HAS MADE IN THE PAST YEAR.
ASKED WHETHER THE WHITE PAPER WOULD GIVE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT A CLEAR ENOUGH PICTURE OF THE UNDER- CURRENTS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN HONG KONG RATHER THAN JUST AN ACCOUNT OF MAJOR POLITICAL AND DOCUMENTED CHANGES IN HONG KONG, SIR DAVID SAID THE WHITE PAPER WAS MEANT TO BE A GENERAL REVIEW.
+ IT'S NOT MEANT TO GO INTO THE NITTY-GRITTY OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
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