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HK ATTENDS APEC CONFERENCE
MONDAY, MARCH 28, 1994
HONG KONG WAS REPRESENTED AT AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE IN VANCOUVER LAST WEEK WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICIALS FROM 17 COUNTRIES IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION TO DISCUSS WAYS TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT AND TO PURSUE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
AT THE INVITATION OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTER, MS SHEILA COPPS, THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON AND THE DEPUTY SECRETARY, ENVIRONMENT, MR TONY COPPER, ATTENDED THE TWO-DAY CONFERENCE ORGANISED BY THE ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION (APEC) ON MARCH 24 TO 25.
THE CONFERENCE PROVIDED A USEFUL FORUM FOR DELEGATES TO COMPARE NOTES AND EXCHANGE VIEWS ON ISSUES OF MUTUAL INTEREST INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION, TOOLS ΤΟ IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND MEASURES AS WELL AS THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES.
PARTICIPANTS ENDORSED
IN APEC
A JOINT STATEMENT AND A SET OF COMPREHENSIVE PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS.
THEY WERE ALSO COMMITTED TO THE SPIRIT OF MUTUAL CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT IN IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND PURSUING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH.
MEASURES
AT THE HONG
INCLUDED INVOLVEMENT.
THE
CONFERENCE, MR EASON SPOKE ABOUT THE WIDE RANGE OF KONG USED TO TACKLE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM WHICH COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANS AND PRIVATE SECTOR
SECOND REVIEW OF THE 1989 WHITE PAPER ON ENVIRONMENT GREEN CHALLENGE FOR THE COMMUNITY WAS TABLED AT THE MEETING.
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A
HONG KONG ALSO HELPED SHAPE THE AGENDA AND THE JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED AT THE END OF THE CONFERENCE.
PROVISIONAL FIGURES ON EXTERNAL TRADE FOR FEBRUARY
MAINLY
HOLIDAYS,
AFFECTED BY THE TIMING OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR BOTH RE-EXPORTS AND IMPORTS FELL MODERATELY IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR OVER THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR, WHILE DOMESTIC EXPORTS REGISTERED SIGNIFICANT DECLINE.
THESE ARE SHOWN IN THE PROVISIONAL FIGURES ON EXTERNAL TRADE FOR FEBRUARY RELEASED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS
DEPARTMENT.
THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS, AT $59,365 MILLION IN FEBRUARY 1994, WAS $2,199 MILLION OR 3.6% LOWER THAN A YEAR EARLIER.
/THE VALUE