THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1991
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HONG KONG HAS LEADING GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ROLE
*
GLOBAL MR
BOTH REGIONAL AND HONG KONG HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BUSINESS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG BCONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE, PETER JOHNSON SAID IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR JOHNSON ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ASIA SOCIETY,
BETWEEN ASIA AND THE U.8. SAID WHILE STRONG TIES AND DEPENDENCIES REMAIN, INTRA-ASIA COMMERCE IS INCREASING.
BETWEEN
30 AND 40
PER CENT OF
"
ASIAN HE TOLD
"AT THE LAST COUNT, EXPORTS WERE DESTINED FOR OTHER COUNTRIES WITHIN THE REGION, AN AUDIENCE OF BUSINESS EXECUTIVES.
KONG'S CASE
THE
PROPORTION
DUE
MUCH IS
HIGHER, "IN HONG
AND TO THE LARGELY TO SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN OUR TRADE WITH CHINA
TERRITORY'S BEHALF IN SOUTHERN GROWTH OF OUTWARD PROCESSING ON THE CHINA.
OF INVESTMENT
IN
IN TERMS A CONTINUING KONG'S POINT
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT JAPAN IS FAR OUTSPENDING THE U.S.
THAT JOHNSON EXPRESSED MR ASIA, INCREASING U.S. PRESENCE IN ASIA IS DESIRABLE FROM HONG OF VIEW.
OF
THAT THERE IS AN ENORMOUS RESERVOIR "I FIRMLY BELIEVE
AN INCREASING U.S. PRESENCE GOODWILL IN HONG KONG TOWARDS THE U.S.,
GLOBAL SERVES AS EVIDENCE THAT U.S. BUSINESS IS STILL COMMITTED ON A
THAT BASIS AND IS NOT WITHDRAWING TO A 'FORTRESS AMERICA': SOMETHING
THE OF EXPANSION
FTA TO GIVEN THE PROPOSED MAY BE A TEMPTATION
THE URUGUAY ROUND INCLUDE MEXICO, THE AS-YET UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS OF
THE SOVIET UNION AND EASTERN AND A LESSENING OF EUROPE," MR JOHNSON SAID.
IN
EXPECTATIONS
HE POINTED OUT THAT CURRENTLY THE U.S. IS THE LARGEST
INDUSTRY, MANUFACTURING INVESTOR IN HONG KONG'S * LARGEST INVESTOR OVERALL.
OVERSEAS
AND POSSIBLY THE
||
"U.S. FIRMS PROVIDE STRENGTH AND JOHNSON ADDED,
SUPPORT IN MANY
WAYS,
MR
TURNING TO THE ECONOMY, MR JOHNSON SAID CONTINUES TO PROSPER.
INTERNALLY HONG KONG
IN OTHER "IN 1990 REAL GDP GROWTH WAS 2.4 PER CENT, LESS THAN
MOST. THE FORECAST FOR RECENT YEARS, BUT A BETTER PERFORMANCE THAN
ΤΟ BE US$13,400 THIS YEAR IS 3.5 PER CENT. GDP PER HEAD IS FORECAST IN 1991.
OF
THIS THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY "IF HONG KONG WERE A MEMBER
TO OVERTAKE THEM WOULD PUT US IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE UK, AND POISED
MR JOHNSON CONCLUDED. WITHIN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE,
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