3
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1993
*
LED TO EMPLOYMENT OF 350,000 OF THE LOCAL WORKFORCE; AND
HANDLED 90 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TRADE.
BUT APART FROM BEING THE FOUNDATION OF HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY, THE PORT WAS PLAYING AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN CHINA'S ECONOMIC EXPANSION.
EVEN THOUGH FACTORIES HAD MOVED FROM THE TERRITORY TO SOUTHERN CHINA, THEIR PRODUCTS WERE STILL EXPORTED THROUGH THE CONTAINER PORT AT KWAI CHUNG.
MR CLARK POINTED OUT THAT THE CHINESE ECONOMY WAS FORECAST то GROW BY EIGHT TO NINE PER CENT FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS. GUANGDONG WOULD GROW EVEN QUICKER.
"THIS WILL REQUIRE THE OPENING OF NEW PORTS, THE UPGRADING OF OTHERS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL SCHEMES TO MOVE GOODS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
BUT HE EMPHASISED THAT CHINA HAD FEW SITES DEVELOPED AS DEEP-WATER PORTS.
YIAN TIAN JUST OVER THE BORDER TO THE EAST AND WEST HAD LONG-TERM POTENTIAL, "BUT BOTH HAVE A LONG REALISE THAT POTENTIAL.
74
THAT COULD
BE
THE
GAOLAN то WAY ΤΟ GO TO
HE SAID: "SOME FEAR THAT YIAN TIAN MAY SOMEHOW ATTRACT CARGOES THAT ARE RIGHTFULLY OURS AND TAKE THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE ACCRUE TO HONG KONG.
[
AND
"I DO NOT SHARE THOSE FEARS. SOUTHERN CHINA NEEDS ADDITIONAL PORTS. THOSE PORTS WILL STIMULATE GROWTH. THAT'S GOOD FOR CHINA GOOD FOR HONG KONG.
"THE ADDITIONAL SHIPPING TRAFFIC IN OUR AREA WILL INCREASE THE CHANCE OF ADDITIONAL SHIPPING CALLS AT HONG KONG AND ENHANCE OUR MARITIME SUPPORT SERVICES.
"ANY ADDITIONAL SPUR TO COMPETITION CAN ONLY BE GOOD FOR
HONG
KONG."
GROW.
MR CLARK SAID DEMANDS ON HONG KONG'S PORT WOULD CONTINUE то "WE MUST CONTINUE TO EXPAND TO MATCH THEM."
"IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT WE STILL AWAIT ENDORSEMENT BY THE CHINESE SIDE OF CONTAINER TERMINAL 9. LET US HOPE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH LONGER TO WAIT.
HE SAID HONG KONG'S CARGO THROUGHPUT WOULD DOUBLE BY THE OF THIS CENTURY AND DOUBLE AGAIN BY 2011.
END
FOR THIS REASON IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT PLANS FOR A NEW LANTAU SHOULD GO AHEAD. THESE WILL CATER FOR PORT EXPANSION INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
PORT
ON
WELL
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