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FRIDAY, JUNE, 1990
J
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THIS SUPPORT WAS THE PROVISION OF ADEQUATE INDUSTRIAL LAND, PARTICULARLY LAND FOR HIGHER-TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES WHICH COULD NOT OPERATE EFFICIENTLY IN CONVENTIONAL MULTI-STOREY FACTORY BUILDINGS.
"WE HAVE SET UP TWO INDUSTRIAL ESTATES FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND STARTED TO DEVELOP A THIRD, HE SAID.
HE SAID AN IMPORTANT AREA WAS THE SUPPLY OF HIGHLY-SKILLED AND WELL-TRAINED MANPOWER FOR INDUSTRY.
THE GOVERNMENT HAD PLANS TO EXPAND HIGHER EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN OCTOBER 1991, AND STRENGTHENED VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO IMPROVE THE EXPERTISE OF TECHNICIANS.
THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT OF MORE KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY-INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES, HE SAID.
"WE HAVE DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A TECHNOLOGY CENTRE ΤΟ PROVIDE FACILITIES AND SERVICES FOR NEW AND SMALL-SCALE HIGH-TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES UNTIL THEY CAN STAND ON THEIR OWN FEET.
TO
"MEANWHILE, A SERIES OF SERVICES SUCH AS PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND PRODUCT DESIGN WILL CONTINUE BE PROVIDED BY BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND OTHERS TO SHARPEN THE COMPETITIVE EDGE OF OUR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, HE SAID.
MR CHAN SAID ALL THESE ACTIONS
STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE.
DEMONSTRATED THE
GOVERNMENT'S
"I AM CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL ENABLE HONG KONG TO CONTINUE AS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC INDUSTRIAL AND TRADING ECONOMIES IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION WELL INTO THE 21ST CENTURY," HE SAID.
"AS WE ENGAGE IN BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE, THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOREIGN AND LOCAL
US COMPANIES ALIKE. WE WELCOME COMPANIES FROM SWEDEN TO JOIN
IN OUR
GREAT UNDERTAKING, HE SAID.
**
DEVELOPED
MR CHAN SAID ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN SWEDEN HONG KONG WERE LONG ESTABLISHED, BUT THEY HAD PARTICULAR VIGOUR IN RECENT YEARS.
AND
WITH
TOTAL TWO-WAY TRADE AMOUNTED TO $5,587 MILLION IN 1989, 15 CENT HIGHER THAN THE 1988 FIGURE AND NEARLY DOUBLE THAT FOR 1986.
PER
THE WITHIN EUROPE, SWEDEN WAS NOW
FOR MARKET HONG KONG'S DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND THE EIGHTH LARGEST SUPPLIER OF HONG KONG'S IMPORTS.
SIXTH LARGEST
FIVE YEARS AGO THERE WERE ABOUT 40 SWEDISH COMPANIES OPERATING
AND WAS STILL IN HONG KONG; TODAY THE NUMBER STOOD AT 126
GROWING,
MR CHAN SAID.
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