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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1980
413 GROWTH, HE SAID, WAS REFLECTED IN THE INCREASING NUMBER CANADIAN EXPORTERS WHO HAD BECOME AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HONG TONG FOR ITS INTERNATIONAL MARKET. FOR ITS ACCESS TO THE
.ST OF CHINA AND AS A REGIONAL CENTRE.
CANADA'S INCREASING INTEREST WAS MATCHED BY THE INTEREST SHOWN IN HONG KONG BY OTHER MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS, SIR DAVID SAID.
SPEAKING OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT, SIR DAVID SAID THAT THERE COULD BE NOTHING BETTER, IN THIS UNCERTAIN WORLD, THAN THIS SET OF ASSURANCES AND NO BETTER COLLATERAL.+
NOW, MOST THINGS THAT WE DO, MOST PLANS AND PROGRAMMES CAN RE AND ARE MEASURED AGAINST THE AGREEMENT, AND ALMOST EVERYTHING IS DONE WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE, HE SAID.
+THIS GIVES A MORE POSITIVE DIRECTION TO PROGRESS, BUT IT HAS CHANGED THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FROM THEIR LACK OF INVOLVEMENT TO ONE OF DEEP CONCERN AND INTEREST- AND IT HAS STIMULATED A LIVELY AND ALMOST NEVER-ENDING PUBLIC DEBATE.
+GRADUALLY FROM THIS DEBATE A CONSENSUS WILL EMERGE,+ SIR DAVID SAID.
AS A DIRECT OUTCOME OF THE AGREEMENT, SIR DAVID SAID, SOLID CHIEVEMENTS HAD BEEN GAINED THROUGH THE SETTING UP OF THREE ORGANISATIONS - THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE LAND COMMISSION, AND A COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, TO DRAFT THE BASIC LAW FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.
+THESE ARE ALL SOLID AND NECESSARY ACHIEVEMENTS, THEY ARE NOT SENSATIONAL BUT THEY, I HOPE, INDICATE TO YOU THAT HONG KONG IS FACING UP TO CHANGE IN A PRACTICAL WAY, AND, DESPITE AN UNDERSTANDABLE IMPATIENCE, REAL PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON THE NUMEROUS COMPLICATED QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE TO BE RESOLVED, + SIR DAVID SAID.
SIR DAVID IS ON A SEVEN-DAY PROMOTIONAL TOUR OF NORTH AMERICA, AS GUEST OF HONOUR WITH A TOP-LEVEL, 10-MEMBER ECONOMIC AND TRADE DELEGATION ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
LATER IN THE EVENING, HE WILL ATTEND THE TDC'S GALA FASHION PRESENTATION AT THE MONTREAL STORE OF EATON'S, THE LARGEST DEPARTMENT STORE GROUP IN CANADA.