THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1993
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SHE SAID THESE ACHIEVEMENTS WERE
ENCOURAGING, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THE NUMBER OF PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR HAD DROPPED FROM SOME 892,000 IN 1980 TO ABOUT 571,000 IN THE NUMBER OF MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS DECREASED FROM SOME IN 1980 TO 41,900 IN 1992.
1992, AND 45,400
SHE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURERS WERE CONSTANTLY MOVING UP-MARKET IN RESPONSE TO MARKET DEMANDS, EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL COMPETITION AND ADVANCES IN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY,
"OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS SHIFT FROM THE RELATIVELY LABOUR-INTENSIVE AND SIMPLE PRODUCTS TO THE MORE TECHNOLOGY-INTENSIVE AND SOPHISTICATED PRODUCTS WITH A HIGHER VALUE- ADDED CONTENT, SHE SAID.
MISS YUB SAID THE REPORT ALSO CONTAINED THE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY OF HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT CONDUCTED BY THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER 1993.
QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 2,600 SAMPLED ESTABLISHMENTS IN 14 SELECTED MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. A TOTAL OF 1,195 VALID RETURNS WERE RECEIVED.
WHEN ASKED ΤΟ COMMENT ON THE FAVOURABILITY OF 12 GIVEN INVESTMENT FACTORS, MORE THAN HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS CONSIDERED SEVEN OF THESE FACTORS TO BE FAVOURABLE.
THEY WERE HONG KONG'S INFRASTRUCTURE (75 PER CENT), BANKING AND FINANCIAL FACILITIES (72.8 PER CENT), REGIONAL LOCATION (58.1 PER CENT), AVAILABILITY OF MANAGERIAL SKILLS (57.6 PER CENT), AVAILABILITY OF PROFESSIONAL/TECHNICAL SKILLS (56.7 PER CENT), GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC POLICY (54 PER CENT) AND LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY (50.3 PER CENT).
REMARKS BY FS ON AWARD
IN RESPONSE TO PRESS REQUESTS,
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR
HAMISH MACLEOD, MADE THE FOLLOWING REMARKS ON HIS. BEING AWARDED THE KBE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE REMARKS, LIKE THE AWARD OF THE KBE ITSELF, ARE EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST UNTIL 6 AM TOMORROW (FRIDAY) HONG KONG TIME:
+
I AM NATURALLY DELIGHTED AT THIS HONOUR, AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL HELP I'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS FROM FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.
GIVE ADDED ZEST TO MY WORK IN THE CHALLENGING PERIOD WHICH
THIS
LIES
THE WILL AHEAD.
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