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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1991
"WE ARE BUILDING AN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY Centre SPACE AND FACILITIES FOR NEW TECHNOLOGY-BASED COMPANIES.
"AND OUR INWARD INVESTMENT
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TRANSFER FROM OVERSEAS, HE SAID.
PROGRAMME ENCOURAGES
IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO BREAK NEW HONG KONG BY INTRODUCING A NEW SCHEME OF ASSISTANCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D).
то
PROVIDE
TECHNOLOGY
GROUND FOR
FOR APPLIED
"THE AIM IS TO ENCOURAGE INDUSTRY TO INVEST MORE IN APPLIED R&D. WITH THAT ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT, WE SHOULD SEE INDUSTRY BECOMING MORE SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGICALLY AND, IN THE LONGER TERM, MORE
COMPETITIVE IN OUR EXPORT MARKETS.
-
OF
"UNDER THE SCHEME, GOVERNMENT WILL INVEST JOINTLY WITH INDUSTRY IN WORTHWHILE APPLIED R&D; AND WILL REAP ITS SHARE OF THE BENEFITS SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.
"WE SHALL SHORTLY BE PUTTING PROPOSALS TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THIS COUNCIL FOR THE FUNDING OF THE SCHEME, ** HE SAID.
MR CHAU SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE SUPPORT IT OFFERED SHOULD BE EFFECTIVE AND WELL-FOCUSSED.
"THAT IS WHY WE HAVE DECIDED TO ESTABLISH AN INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, AS THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED IN AIS ADDRESS," HE SAID.
MR CHAU ADDED THAT THE NEW COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD START WORK NEXT JANUARY, WOULD TAKE OVER FROM THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO GIVE A SINGLE CHANNEL OF ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY
IN HONG KONG.
—
"I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE NEW COUNCIL WILL HELP GOVERNMENT TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE RAPIDLY CHANGING. NEEDS OF INDUSTRY - INCLUDING THOSE STEMMING FROM THE CHALLENGES OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND TO ENSURE THAT THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE ARE BETTER CO-ORDINATED, HE SAID.
MR CHAU NOTED THAT A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HAD SPOKEN IN SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PHILOSOPHY OF MINIMUM INTERVENTION IN THE FREE PLAY OF MARKET FORCES. BUT SOME OTHERS HAD ARGUED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DRAW UP A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO SHAPE HONG KONG'S FUTURE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
'OUR VIEW REMAINS THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE THE PRIVATE SECTOR FRRE TO MANAGE ITS OWN AFFAIRS.
"HONG KONG OWES ITS ECONOMIC SUCCESS TO THE ASTUTE DECISIONS OF ITS BUSINESSMEN.
"I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE QUITE WRONG FOR CIVIL SERVANTS TO SEKK TO TAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. THAT SHOULD BE THE PRESERVE OF OUR ENTREPRENEURS, HE SAID.
/ON THE