60
THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1986
HONG KONG BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
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THE RATIFICATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WAS IN MANY WAYS A NEW BEGINNING AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HONG KONG IS BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO, WHO IS NOW ON A VISIT TO VANCOUVER TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF COMMISSIONERS GENERAL OF COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN EXPO' 86.
+ THE OLD UNCERTAINTIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND INTEREST HAS TURNED TO THE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS OF HOW THE AGREED TRANSITION CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED, + MR TSAO TOLD A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE VANCOUVER BOARD OF TRADE AND THE HONG KONG/CANADA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION,
HE POINTED OUT THAT MUCH OF THE DISCUSSION CURRENTLY FOCUSSED ON HOW HONG KONG WOULD DEVELOP FROM ITS TRADITIONAL COLONIAL STYLE OF GOVERNMENT INTO THE GOVERNMENT WHICH WOULD ADMINISTER THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION IN 11 YEARS' TIME.
+THIS IS A UNIQUE PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO PRECEDENTS TO GUIDE US. AND ALL OF US ARE AWARE OF THE DANGER INHERENT IN ATTEMPTING TO IMPORT OR GRAFT ON TO THE EXISTING STRUCTURE SOME SOLUTION TRIED OR TESTED ELSEWHERE BUT NOT NECESSARILY SUITED TO THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG,+ MR TSAO SAID.
HE NOTED THAT HONG KONG HAD ALREADY MADE A START TO BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE, CITING AS EXAMPLES THE NEW-LOOK LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES, AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE LAND COMMISSION.
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ON THE ECONOMY, MR TSAO SAID HONG KONG HAD BEEN FORTUNATE BECAUSE IT WAS ABLE TO FACE THE LAST THREE DIFFICULT YEARS WITH EXTRAORDINARY RESILIENCE.
+OUR BUDGET IS ONCE AGAIN IN BALANCE - SOMETHING WE HAVE ALWAYS HELD TO BE SACRED. WE ARE CONCERNED OF COURSE ABOUT PROTECTIONIST TENDENCIES IN OUR MAJOR MARKETS, BUT WE ARE CONFIDENT BOTH THAT GOOD SENSE WILL PREVAIL AND THAT OUR OWN ENTREPRENEURS WILL LIVE UP TO THEIR REPUTATION FOR MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY SMALL OPPORTUNITY.
+THE RE-EMERGENCE OF OUR TRADITIONAL ROLE AS AN ENTREPOT HAS BEEN AN ENORMOUS BENEFIT.
+THERE ARE MANY PLUS POINTS. THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO INVEST HEAVILY IN THE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT SO VITAL TO OUR FUTURE, EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AS AN INDICATION OF RENEWED CONFIDENCE IS THE DETERMINATION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES, WHICH IN HONG KONG, AS YOU KNOW, ARE LARGELY PRIVATE SECTOR CONCERNS, MR TSAO SAID.
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AR TSAO