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MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1994
THE CAUSES RANGE FROM A LACK OF PROPER SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT, POOR BUILDING DESIGN, WORSE MANAGEMENT AND A POOR UNDERSTANDING BY WORKERS OF THE NEED FOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND PROCEDURES.
ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, MR MILLER SAID THE OUTSIDE INVESTOR COULD, AND SHOULD IN HIS OWN SELF INTEREST, SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.
INDUSTRIALISTS FROM HONG KONG CARRY WITH THEIR INVESTMENT, NOT ONLY CAPITAL AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, BUT ALSO MODERN BUSINESS AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, CONCEPTS OF INNOVATION AND DESIGN, PRODUCTION PLANNING, PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT, STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, IDEAS OF PACKAGING, MARKETING AND PROMOTION.
"WE HAVE LEARNED FROM OUR OWN EXPERIENCE OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION,' HE SAID.
"THE DECLINE IN ACCIDENT STATISTICS DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR INDUSTRIALISTS ARE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TO INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY, HARMONIOUS LABOUR RELATIONSHIP AND BUSINESS SUCCESS.
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"BEING MORE EXPERIENCED THEY CAN AND SHOULD TAKE WITH THEM THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A CLEAN AND SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT. AND IT IS IN ALL OF OUR SELF-INTEREST TO EXPORT THIS EXPERIENCE WHEN INVESTING ABROAD," HE SAID.
FIRSTLY, THE COMMERCIAL REALITY IS THAT THE SPEED AT WHICH TECHNOLOGY CAN BE ACQUIRED, MANUFACTURING PROCESSES ADAPTED AND MANAGERIAL PRACTICES ABSORBED HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY TELESCOPED.
THE MANUFACTURER WHO GOES OFF-SHORE AND THINKS THAT CHEAP LAND AND CHEAP LABOUR WILL KEEP HIM AHEAD WILL QUICKLY BE OUT PERFORMED BY THOSE WHO, FROM THE START, INVEST IN NEW TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL- FRIENDLY PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT AND WORKER TRAINING.
SECONDLY, IF HONG KONG INVESTORS LEAD THE WAY IN THIS MANNER,
THEY WILL HELP PRESERVE HONG KONG'S HARD WON REPUTATION.
IN SO DOING HE WILL HELP PREVENT ALLEGATIONS OF UNFAIR COMPETITION AND DISCOURAGE THE USE OF PROTECTIONIST TRADE SANCTIONS AGAINST THE COUNTRY IN WHICH HE HAS CHOSEN TO INVEST.
EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, MR MILLER SAID THE RATIO OF RE-EXPORTS TO DOMESTIC EXPORTS HAD RISEN RAPIDLY TO ABOUT FOUR TO ONE.
THIS LEADS TO TWO IMPLICATIONS WHICH CAN BE PROBLEMATIC FOR BOTH GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS.
"AS THE PROPORTION OF RE-EXPORTS IN OUR TOTAL EXPORTS GROWS, so THE PROPORTION FOR WHICH WE CAN CLAIM A DIRECT INTEREST IN A DISPUTE SHRINKS, HE SAID. "WE THEREFORE BECOME MORE VULNERABLE TO DISPUTES BETWEEN COUNTRIES WHOSE RE-EXPORTS WE HANDLE.
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MEXICO'S ANTI-DUMPING ACTION AGAINST CHINA'S PRODUCTS IN THE MIDDLE OF 1993, AND RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MOST FAVOURED NATION STATUS CAN ILLUSTRATE THE POINT.
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