8
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1988
"NEW PROGRAMMES
IN MANPOWER TRAINING ARE NOW BEING INTRODUCED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL AND OUR TERTIARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS," HE SAID.
"THESE WILL PROVIDE MORE TRAINED STAFF IN AREAS SUCH AS COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN AS WELL AS MANUFACTURE, PRECISION TOOLING AND METAL WORKING."
AUTOMATION WAS A KEY ELEMENT IN MOVING TOWARDS HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY, AND IT COULD ALSO HELP IN TACKLING THE LABOUR SHORTAGE PROBLEM, SIR DAVID SAID.
THE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL WAS INCREASING ITS EFFORTS TO PROMOTE GREATER AUTOMATION, FOR EXAMPLE IN COMPUTER AIDE]} DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE.
THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO FUNDING A RESEARCH PROJECT IN THIS FIELD AT THE UNIVERSITIES, AT A COST OF ABOUT $4 MILLION.
SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG NEEDED ΤΟ ATTRACT A HIGH FOREIGN INVESTMENT THAT WOULD BRING WITH IT MODERN PROCESSES TECHNOLOGY.
"OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE DONE THAN 150 FOREIGN FIRMS HAVE INVESTED SINCE 1984. THE MAJORITY HAVE TECHNOLOGY.
TT
I EVEL OF AND NEW
WELL, HE SAID. "MORE
IN MANUFACTURING FACILITIES BROUGHT WITH THEM NEW OR IMPROVED
"WE NEED TO KEEP THIS UP AND TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE INVESTORS ARE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITIES AND PROSPECTS IN HONG KONG.
"WE ARE THEREFORE
UPGRADING AND
STRENGTHENING OUR INWARD
INVESTMENT PROGRAMME.
"THIS WILL INCLUDE IMPROVING THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY OUR INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION OFFICES IN NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE AND JAPAN, AND TARGETTING THEIR OPERATIONS MORE PRECISELY ON KEY SECTORS AND INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES."
ON TRADE, SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG'S ABILITY ΤΟ ARGUE FOR FREER TRADE HAD BEEN STRENGTHENED SINCE IT BECAME A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY OF THE GATT, AND IT WAS, FOR INSTANCE, AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE CURRENT URUGUAY ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT HE STRESSED THAT GIVEN HONG KONG'S RELIANCE ON TRADE, PROTECTIONISM IN MAJOR MARKETS WAS A CONSTANT THREAT.
HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT RECENT OMNIBUS TRADE LEGISLATION IN THE UNITED STATES WAS LESS PROTECTIONIST THAN EARLIER DRAFTS FORESHADOWED, AND HE WELCOMED PRESIDENT REAGAN'S VETO OF THE RECENT PROTECTIONIST TEXTILE BILL.
/"BUT WE
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