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MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1994
GIVEN HONG KONG'S UNBROKEN RECORD OF ANNUAL ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ΤΟ REGULAR BUDGET SURPLUSES, IT WOULD BE VERY EASY FOR THE GOVERNMENT THROW MONEY AT ITS INFRASTRUCTURAL PROBLEMS.
"BUT WE MUST RESIST ANY TEMPTATION TO FOLLOW THIS ROUTE, WHEN POLITICALLY IT SEEMS THE ATTRACTIVE THING TO DO, SHE SAID.
EVEN
FOR THOSE PROJECTS WHICH GENERATE THEIR OWN REVENUES, MRS CHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO MAKE A VIGOROUS EFFORT TO FIND PARTNERS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO LIGHTEN THE DEMANDS ON THE TAXPAYER.
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"THE MASSIVE SCALE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS WHICH WE WILL UNDERTAKE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPERATIVE то SEE THAT THEY OFFER THE COMMUNITY THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY, SHE SAID.
TURNING ΤΟ ANOTHER AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO HELP TO PROMOTE HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS, MRS CHAN SAID IT WOULD HELP THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH ACHIEVING HIGHEST STANDARDS OF POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION.
THE
ANOTHER MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY IS CONCERNED WITH THE RESUMPTION OF CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997.
LE
MRS CHAN REPEATED HER CONVICTION THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION'S PLEDGE OF "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS WOULD CREATE ENORMOUS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR HONG KONG, IN PARTICULAR FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
"BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THIS CONCEPT CAN AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AFTER 1997.
"I AM DETERMINED DURING MY TERM AS CHIEF SECRETARY TO MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION."
MRS CHAN SAID THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY WAS ALWAYS GOING ΤΟ BE A DIFFICULT ENTERPRISE AND ONE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THERE WERE SOME DISAGREEMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
THE RECORD OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS SHOWS BOTH SIDES CAN AGREE ON VARIOUS ISSUES DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES. SUCH MUTUAL CO-OPERATION COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES.
ΤΟ EXPAND
"AS CHIEF SECRETARY, I WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE THE AREAS OF OUR CO-OPERATION, TO INCREASE CONTACTS AND ΤΟ ENHANCE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING."
MRS CHAN SAID THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN VERY OPEN ABOUT ITS OWN DETERMINATION TO PRESERVE HONG KONG AS A THRIVING CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS.
"WITH THESE FACTORS IN OUR FAVOUR, SURELY, WE CAN TOGETHER FACE THE FUTURE WITH CONSIDERABLE CONFIDENCE. SHE SAID.
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