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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1988
HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON IN THAT CHANGES COULD ALSO BRING PROBLEMS.
"WHILST MANUFACTURING FOR EXPORT HAS BEEN AND IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE BEING SUCCESSFUL, MANUFACTURING IN HONG KONG IS UNDERGOING RAPID CHANGE, MR YEUNG SAID.
"THE FIRST NOTICEABLE CHANGE IS THE MOVEMENT OF LABOUR INTENSIVE PROCESSES AND PRODUCTION INTO SOUTH CHINA IN ALL SEGMENTS OF MANUFACTURING OTHER THAN TEXTILES AND GARMENTS.
"THE SECOND IS AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE LABOUR EFFICIENCY AND TO AUTOMATE, AS IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS THAT THE SUPPLY OF SKILLED MANUAL WORKERS IS UNLIKELY то GROW AT THE RATE AT WHICH OUR ASSEMBLY-ORIENTED BUSINESSES WOULD OTHERWISE REQUIRE.
"THE THIRD IS AN INCREASING TENDENCY ΤΟ RAISE THE LEVEL QUALITY OF PRODUCTS AND TO ACHIEVE A GREATER DEGREE OF INNOVATION, RESPONSE TO THE INCREASING SOPHISTICATION OF EXTERNAL DEMAND.'
"
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IN
MR YEUNG SAID HE BELIEVED THESE CHANGES WERE LIKELY TO CONTINUE AND MIGHT ACCELERATE IN THE MEDIUM-TERM FUTURE, AND HE FELT IS WAS TIMELY FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.
THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN MANUFACTURING IN TWO WAYS, NAMELY SUPPORT, HE SAID.
PROVIDING SUPPORT TO LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURAL AND DEVELOPMENT
PROVIDING MANPOWER,
INFRASTRUCTURAL SUPPORT WAS TYPICALLY CONCERNED WITH AN ADEQUATE AND SUITABLE SUPPLY OF INDUSTRIAL LAND, TRAINED TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES, WATER, POWER, FUELS AND RAW MATERIALS, AND FINANCIAL AND OTHER BUSINESS SERVICES.
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DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT WAS TYPICALLY CONCERNED WITH THE SUPPLY TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE, LABORATORY SERVICES AND BUREAU SERVICES.
THESE SERVICES HELPED MANUFACTURERS ΤΟ IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY AND TO INNOVATE, AND THEY HELPED TO STIMULATE INVESTMENT IN THESE AREAS OF ACTIVITY.
MR YEUNG ALSO EXPLAINED WHY A BASICALLY NON-INTERVENTIONIST GOVERNMENT WAS SPENDING SO MUCH TO HELP INDUSTRIALISTS BECOME MORE SUCESSFUL.
"MANUFACTURING IS IMPORTANT: IT ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY 900,000 JOBS AND A QUARTER OF OUR ECONOMY, HE SAID.
FI
"IT REQUIRES US TO HELP WHAT IS
PROCESS OF ADJUSTMENT.
ESSENTIALLY A MARKET-DRIVEN
"WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO SO TO BEST EFFECT BY ENABLING PRODUCTION, THROUGH THE SUPPLY OF LAND AND MANPOWER TRAINING, AND BY FACILITATING IT, THROUGH THE PROVISION OF SUITABLE SUPPORTING SERVICES.
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