THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1991
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NEW PORT AND AIRPORT FACILITIES VITAL TO HK: GOVERNOR
THE
THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR SOME TIME NOW ON HOW SCHEMES ON THE NEW AIRPORT AND PORT EXPANSION CAN BEST BE PHASED SO THAT THEY ARE AS EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) IN A SPEECH то THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS CONFERENCE.
THE SPEECH WAS DELIVERED ON HIS BEHALF BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR PIERS JACOBS.
SIR DAVID SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO WORKING OUT CAREFULLY WHAT SORT OF PHASING BEST MET HONG KONG'S NEEDS AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES, THE GOVERNMENT WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING ON WITH THESE PROJECTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
"HONG KONG NEEDS THESE NEW FACILITIES TO DEVELOP ITS ROLE AS A LEADING TRADING, TRANSPORT AND SERVICES CENTRE FOR THE REGION; AND TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR TRADERS AND INTERNATIONAL SHIPPERS LIKE YOURSELVES," HE SAID.
SIR DAVID SAID PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WERE UNDERSTANDABLY PROUD OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS BUT THEY WERE NOT COMPLACENT.
"WE HAVE OUR OWN EXPERIENCE; BUT WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN.
"THAT IS WHY WE VALUE SO MUCH THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS THAT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES LIKE THIS PROVIDE," HE SAID.
ONR LESSON HONG KONG HAD LEARNED WHICH COULD BE PASSED ON TO OTHERS WAS THAT A KEY TO HONG KONG'S SUCCESS HAD BEEN ITS OPENNESS TO TRADE
SOMETHING WHICH SHIPPERS AND TRADERS COULD PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE, SIR DAVID SAID.
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"OUR OWN EXPERIENCE IS THAT TWO-WAY TRADE, UNIMPEDED BY TARIFFS OR OTHER FORMS OF PROTECTION, 18 A TREMENDOUS SPUR TO ECONOMIC GROWTH.
"80 WE WATCH WITH SOME ANXIETY TO SEE WHETHER THE WORLD CAN RESOLVE THE CURRENT DIFFICULTIES IN THE GATT TALKS DESPITE UNDERSTANDABLE PREOCCUPATION WITH THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST, HE
SAID.
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THE GOVERNOR SAID HONG KONG HAD ALSO LEARNT THE IMPORTANCE FACILITATING TRADE NOT THROUGH GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY, BUT BY PROVIDING A WELL-RUN PORT, THE MINIMUM DOCUMENTATION CONSISTENT WITH MEETING OUR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS, AND A COMPETITIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.
"THIS POLICY HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL ONE. THE VALUE OF HONG KONG'S TRADE HAS GROWN FIVE FOLD IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
"AND
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST AVAILABLE STATISTICS, THE TOTAL VALUE OF HONG KONG'S TRADE PLACES IT IN 11TH PLACE AMONG THE WORLD'S TRADING ENTITIES," HE SAID.
/SIR DAVID