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TUESDAY, MAY 27, 1986
IN ADDITION TO THESE FOUR MAJOR INDUSTRIAL GROUPS, THE PROGRAMME ALSO ENVISAGED EIGHT OTHER INDUSTRIAL STUDIES BEING UNDERTAKEN OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND INCLUDED INVESTIGATIONS BEING MADE OF THE WATCHES AND CLOCKS INDUSTRY, PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OPTICAL GOODS, PRINTING, DOMESTIC ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, FURNITURE, TOYS, FOODS AND BEVERAGES.
SAID MR YEUNG: +AS EACH STUDY WILL BE UP-DATED EVERY TWO YEARS IN TERMS OF EXTERNAL MARKET INFORMATION, AND AS EACH STUDY WILL BE DONE EVERY FOUR YEARS OR SO, THIS PROGRAMME REPRESENTS A CONTINUATION OF THE IMPORTANT INVESTIGATIVE WORK OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION.
MR YEUNG EXPLAINED THAT THE STUDIES PROVIDED THE MEANS BY WHICH THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, CHAIRED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, COULD IDENTIFY THE EXTENT TO WHICH AN INDUSTRY MIGHT BE EXPLOITING OR FAILING TO EXPLOIT OPPORTUNITIES IN WORLD MARKETS AND WHAT OBSTACLES STOOD IN THE
WAY.
THESE STUDIES THEREFORE FORMED THE POLICY FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH MOST OF THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FACILITIES AND TECHNICAL BACK-UP SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT WERE CONCEIVED.
PROJECTS WHICH STEMMED DIRECTLY FROM THE STUDIES INCLUDED THE SERVICES OF THE HONG KONG DESIGN INNOVATION COMPANY, TO BE DEVELOPED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AT A COST OF $9 MILLION, AND THOSE BEING DEVELOPED BY THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL FOR THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION, AT A COST OF ALMOST $50 MILLION.
IN ADDITION, THERE WERE THE TECHNICAL BACK-UP SERVICES PROVIDED DIRECTLY BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE FORM OF THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT'S PRODUCT STANDARDS BUREAU AND THE HONG KONG STANDARDS AND CALIBRATION LABORATORY WHICH HAD INVOLVED SETTING UP COSTS TOTALLING $17 MILLION AND COST ABOUT $7 MILLION A YEAR TO RUN.
MR YEUNG SAID THAT ALL THESE PROJECTS WERE DESIGNED TO HELP HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING COMMUNITY ACHIEVE GREATER PRODUCTIVITY AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR OUTPUT.
SAID MR YEUNG: +SO THE FORMULATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INDUSTRIAL POLICIES, FAR FROM BEING AD HOC, TAKE PLACE WITHIN A HIGHLY RATIONAL FRAMEWORK.
+WHILE THAT FRAMEWORK IS GOVERNED BY A STEADFAST REFUSAL TO TAMPER WITH THE OPERATION OF MARKET FORCES, IT CALLS FOR AN OBJECTIVE, MEASURED AND SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO THE EVALUATION OF EXTERNAL DEMAND AND DOMESTIC SUPPLY FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE EVERY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.
/+WHERE, AS