THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1988
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MADRID TRADE MISSION TO VISIT HK
THE MADRID CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY WILL SEND A TRADE MISSION то HONG KONG IN DECEMBER THIS YEAR WITH A VIEW ΤΟ STRENGTHENING THE TRADE LINKS BETWEEN SPAIN AND THE TERRITORY.
THIS FOLLOWS A SPEAKING TOUR IN MADRID
BY THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO, ΤΟ PROMOTE HONG KONG AS A CENTRE FOR DISTRIBUTION AND RE-EXPORT IN THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN REGION.
AS PART OF HIS PROGRAMME IN EUROPE TO EXPLAIN HONG KONG'S BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR POTENTIAL OVERSEAS INVESTORS MR TSAO ADDRESSED A SEMINAR ORGANISED BY THE INSTITUTO ESPANOL DE COMERCIO EXTERIOR, THE MADRID CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND THE SPANISH-HONG KONG SOCIETY.
AND
MOST
AT THE SEMINAR ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 100 SENIOR INFLUENTIAL SPANISH BUSINESSMEN, MR TSAO STRESSED THAT HONG KONG DECIDEDLY WAS NOT A HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW FORCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE.
"THERE ARE MANY WHO SEE HONG KONG'S FUTURE AS STEADILY DIMINISHING DOWN TO 1997. 1 THINK THAT SUCH DOUBTERS SHOULD VISIT HONG KONG AND OBSERVE FOR THEMSELVES THE EXTENT ΤΟ WHICH HONG KONG AND OVERSEAS INVESTORS ARE BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE THERE, HE SAID.
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HE POINTED OUT THAT OVERSEAS VISITORS WERE CONSTANTLY AMAZED BY THE VIBRANCY OF THE REAL HONG KONG WHICH WAS SO MUCH AT ODDS WITH WHAT DETRACTORS AND INACCURATE MEDIA REPORTING WOULD HAVE THEM BELIEVE.
"1 THINK IT WOULD NOT BE INACCURATE, то COMPANIES ARE FALLING OVER THEMSELVES ΤΟ COMPETE MAJOR CAPITAL WORKS PROJECTS IN HONG KONG,"
OF THE SECOND
SAY THAT FOREIGN IN TENDERING FOR
HE CITED THE CONSTRUCTION
HARBOUR CROSSING; INTEREST SHOWN BY FOREIGN COMPANIES IN THE IDEA OF A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT; THE PAYMENT OF $4.4 BILLION BY A LOCAL COMPANY FOR THE RIGHT TO FURTHER DEVELOP THE CONTAINER PORT; AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THIRD UNIVERSITY AS EXAMPLES OF CONFIDENCE SHOWN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE.
INFRASTRUCTURE
OUTLINING HONG KONG'S EXCELLENT
FOR BOTH COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES, MR TSAO SAID HONG KONG HAD CONSOLIDATED ITS POSITION AS THE MAJOR ENTREPOT OF CHINA AND IN THE PAST THREE YEARS THERE HAD BEEN A RAPID GROWTH IN RE-EXPORTS CHINESE ORIGIN.
OF
"THEIR VALUE GREW BY 25 PER CENT IN 1985, 49 PER CENT IN 1986 AND FROM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER 1987 BY 69 PER CENT.
/"TO FACILITATE