SUNDAY, MAY 8, 1988
CONTACTS WITH CHINA IMPORTANT: CS
*
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD EXTEND CONTACTS AT WITH CHINESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS THIS WAS IMPORTANT CONFIDENCE AND TRUST, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD,
(SUNDAY).
ALL LEVELS IN BUILDING SAID TODAY
VISIT TO
SPEAKING TO THE PRESS ON HIS RETURN FROM A FIVE-DAY CHINA, SIR DAVID SAID: "I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF CONFIDENCE AND TRUST, TO EXTEND AS MANY CONTACTS AS WE CAN, AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN DO IT AS SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, I THINK, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
-
AS
NOTING THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO CHINA CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID SAID THIS WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT, PERHAPS, MORE SO THAN THE ACTUAL SUBSTANCES OF THE TALKS HE HAD THERE.
IN PEKING, SIR DAVID HAD TALKS WITH THE SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHINESE TEAM OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, MR KE ZAISHUO, AND THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE OF STATE COUNCIL, MR LU PING.
SIR DAVID SAID HE HAD USEFUL EXCHANGES OF VIEWS WITH THEM.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY ALSO VISITED SICHUAN PROVINCE, WHICH HAS THE LARGEST POPULATION IN CHINA OF ABOUT 100 MILLION PEOPLE.
SIR DAVID NOTED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG TO KEEP IN TOUCH NOT ONLY WITH THE MORE FASHIONABLE COASTAL REGIONS IN CHINA, BUT ALSO WITH SOME OF THE INLAND REGIONS.
"IT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN CHINA'S ECONOMY, BOTH AGRICULTURALLY AND INDUSTRIALLY, SIR DAVID SAID.
**
"I HAD A VERY LONG AND INTERESTING DISCUSSION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN TRADE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN SICHUAN," HE ADDED.
SIR DAVID SAID HE HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE WAS SCOPE FOR
A GREAT DEAL OF MORE INVESTMENT IN THAT PROVINCE.
INDUSTRIAL
"THEY HAVE A VERY INTERESTING BACKGROUND OF PRODUCTION, TECHNICAL PRODUCTION, AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT IT COULD BE HARNESSED TO A LOT OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT, HE SAID.
申喃
WITH
US,
BUT
"THEY STILL HAVE A FEW PROBLEMS WHICH THEY DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE PROBLEM OF POWER SUPPLY. THEY HAVE PLANS FOR DEALING WITH THAT AND I'M SURE IT WILL BE A WIDE AND EXPANDING ECONOMY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SIR DAVID SAID.
VERY
/THE CHIEF