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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1993
WORK ON TWO HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN CURRENT CONTRACTS; WHILE THAT ON THE REMAINING SEVEN IS PROGRAMMED TO START SOON.
THE SECRETARY REASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WAS ADEQUATELY STAFFED TO CARRY OUT THIS WORK.
HE SAID: "ALL REGISTERED SLOPES ARE SUBJECT TO REGULAR ANNUAL INSPECTION BY THE AUTHORITY'S GEOTECHNICAL ADVISORY SERVICE TERM CONSULTANTS.
11
INVESTMENT PROMOTION AND PROTECTION AGREEMENTS
* * * * * *
-
AN UPDATE
THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH CHAU, SAID AN INVESTMENT PROMOTION AND PROTECTION AGREEMENT (IPPA) WITH CANADA HAD BEEN INITIALLED AND APPROVED BY THE CHINESE SIDE AND WAS AWAITING
SIGNATURE.
A FURTHER
HONG KONG HAS SIGNED AN IPPA WITH THE NETHERLANDS. SEVEN HAVE BEEN INITIALLED WITH AUSTRALIA, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, DENMARK, GERMANY, ITALY AND FRANCE.
**
"NEGOTIATIONS WITH OTHER IMPORTANT INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INCLUDING USA, NEW ZEALAND AND SINGAPORE, ARE UNDER WAY OR PLANNED, MR CHAU SAID.
THE PROGRESS OF THE NEGOTIATION PROGRAMME WAS MADE KNOWN TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG.
WITH THE AUTHORISATION OF THE UK GOVERNMENT AND WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS NEGOTIATING A NETWORK OF IPPAS WITH COUNTRIES WHOSE INVESTORS HAVE INVESTED SUBSTANTIALLY IN HONG KONG.
"AFTER AN IPPA HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED AND INITIALLED BUT BEFORE IT IS SIGNED, THE TEXT IS SHOWN TO THE CHINESE SIDE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE CONTENT.
"THIS WILL ENABLE THESE AGREEMENTS TO CONTINUE IN FORCE AFTER 1997 WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THEM, HE SAID.
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