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MR LEE SAID HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF THE SUGGESTION THAT A RESEARCH COUNCIL BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG,
HE ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SET UP A WORKING PARTY ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM INDUSTRY, COMMERCE, GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS.
HE SAID PEOPLE IN INDUSTRIAL AND ACADEMIC CIRCLES WERE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S FAILURE TO SEE THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING INDUSTRIES IN THE WORLD AND OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY IN THE FUTURE.
REGARDING THE TRADING POSITION OF HONG KONG, MR LEE COMMENDED THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROMOTING AND ENHANCING HONG KONG'S TRADE AROUND THE WORLD.
ALTHOUGH HONG KONG WAS THE 16TH LARGEST TRADING ECONOMY IN THE WORLD, HE HASTENED TO SAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT CUT THE RE-EXPORT TRADE LEVY FROM THE COUNCIL.
HE ALSO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF STEPPING UP TRADE PROMOTION ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN PROTECTIONIST PRESSURE WAS GROWING AROUND THE WORLD.
+1 AM IMPRESSED WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE SHOW THE WORLD WHAT HONG KONG HAS TO OFFER TO OUR TRADING PARTNERS.
+THE COUNCIL MUST BE GIVEN ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY IN THE PROMOTION OF OUR TRADE, HE SAID.
EARLIER, MR LEE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY FOR MAKING A QUICK AND SOUND DECISION IN 1983 TO PEG THE HONG KONG DOLLAR TO THE US DOLLAR IN THE FACE OF A CRISIS IN THE MONEY MARKET.
HE NOTED THAT THE JOB OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WAS NOT EASY IN RECENT YEARS AND HE SAID SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE HAD INDEED SERVED HONG KONG WELL BY PRODUCING A BALANCED BUDGET WITH A SMALL SURPLUS AFTER THREE YEARS OF HEFTY DEFICITS.
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