THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1991
1.
ASIA SOCIETY BRINGS NEW PERSPECTIVE TO HONG KONG
THIS SAID
THE PRESENCE OF THE ASIA SOCIETY IN HONG KONG WILL BRING US A NEW PERSPECTIVE OF THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN PART OF THE WORLD, THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD, TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURAL DINNER OF THE ASIA SOCIETY HONG KONG, SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG LOOKED FORWARD TO THE GREATER VARIETY THE SOCIETY WOULD BRING TO THE LIVES HERE THROUGH THE SPONSORSHIP OF PROGRAMMES NOT ONLY IN THE FIELD OF POLITICS AND ECONOMICS, BUT THE ARTS AND CULTURE AS WELL.
"WE PARTICULARLY WELCOME IT AT THIS TIME IN OUR HISTORY WHEN OUR NEED FOR A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AMONG THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS AT ITS GREATEST, HE SAID.
SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG WAS PROUD AND JUST A LITTLE BIT FLATTERED THAT THE SOCIETY HAD CHOSEN HONG KONG FOR ITS FIRST OVERSEAS CENTRE.
"WE ARE PROUD BECAUSE THE SOCIETY HAS LOOKED BENEATH THE BRASH COMMERCIAL SURFACE OF MODERN HONG KONG, AND RECOGNISED THOSE ALMOST INDEFINABLE STRANDS OF KINSHIP, OF CULTURE, OF COMMERCE AND OF CREED WHICH BIND HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE INTO THE HISTORICAL FABRIC OF ASIA.
"AND WE
ARE FLATTERED BECAUSE WE SEE OURSELVES VERY MUCH AS ASIA'S GATEWAY, THE PLACE WHERE, DESPITE KIPLING'S WARNING TO THE CONTRARY, EAST DOES INDEED MEET WEST, SIR DAVID SAID.
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NOTING THAT MANY HAD FORECAST THAT THE 21ST CENTURY WOULD BE THE AGE OF THE PACIFIC, SIR DAVID SAID: "FOR HONG KONG, AT THE CROSS ROADS OF THE ASIA PACIFIC DIVIDE, THE AGE HAS ALREADY COME.
LINKS
SOCIETY SAID.
"AS THE MOMENTUM OF ECONOMIC CHANGE INCREASES, WE SHOULD FOSTER BETWEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE PACIFIC.
ASIA SO I CONGRATULATE THE ON ITS INITIATIVE IN TAKING THE STEP ACROSS THAT
OCEAN,"
HE
WOULD
SIR DAVID SAID THE ASIA SOCIETY WOULD BE A MAGNET WHICH DRAW PEOPLE OF LEARNING AND OF INFLUENCE TO OUR CITY, LEADERS FROM THE BUSINESS WORLD, FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND FROM ACADEMIA.
WOULD
HONG KONG WOULD BE ENRICHED BY THEIR COMING.
THEY,
FREELY IN TURN, WOULD FIND THAT INFORMATION FLEW THAT CONTACTS WERE EASILY MADE, AND THAT MEETINGS OF MEN AND OF WERE MADE THAT MUCH SIMPLER, HE SAID.
HERE, MINDS
"THIS OPEN-NESS AND ACCESSIBILITY IS CENTRAL TO HONG KONG'S SUCCESS. WE HAVE ALWAYS PRIDED OURSELVES AS A FREE AND OPEN SOCIETY.
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