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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1993
1.
GOVERNOR HAPPY TO TALK TO CHINA
VERY
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID HE WAS HAPPY TO TALK TO CHINA AT ANY STAGE ABOUT THE ARRANGEMENTS THE 1994 AND 1995 ELECTIONS.
FOR
THIS
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS BEFORE ATTENDING A CONCERT (MONDAY) EVENING, MR PATTEN REITERATED THAT HE HAD MADE THAT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR AND HAD SAID THAT WHEN HE WAS IN PEKING LAST OCTOBER.
"IT WAS MY POSITION, IT REMAINS MY POSITION, THE POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
AND IT'S ALSO
"SO THAT IF AT ANY STAGE, CHINA WISHES To TALK то US ABOUT THE FUTURE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OP HONG DELIGHTED THAT THOSE DISCUSSIONS SHOULD GO FORWARD PART, ANY PRECONDITIONS FOR TALKS," HE SAID.
KONG, WE'LL BE WITHOUT, ON OUR
BANK MORTGAGE CAP WORKS WELL
REFERRING TO A NEWSPAPER REPORT ON MORTGAGE LENDING, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS, MR TAM WING-PONG, TODAY CLARIFIED THAT AT PRESENT THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT SEE THE NEED TO
(MONDAY)
FORMAL ACTION ON MORTGAGE LENDING ALTHOUGH THE SITUATION WAS UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW.
TAKE
KEPT
"WE BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENT 70 PER CENT MORTGAGE CAP VOLUNTARILY ADOPTED BY THE BANKING SECTOR IS WORKING WELL AND STILL COMMANDS THE SUPPORT OF THE BANKING SECTOR IN GENERAL, MR TAM SAID.
THE COMMISSIONER OF BANKING, UNDER SECTION 7 OF THE BANKING ORDINANCE, MAY ISSUE GUIDELINES TO AUTHORISED INSTITUTIONS REGARDING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES TO PROMOTE THE GENERAL STABILITY AND EFFECTIVE WORKING OF THE BANKING SYSTEM.
"BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT AT PRESENT THE COMMISSIONER HAS NO INTENTION OF DOING SO, MR TAM SAID.
"WE DO NOT NORMALLY INTERVENE IN THE WAY BANKS CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE SUCH A NEED AT THE MOMENT,
Tr
HE SAID.
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