5
CS AGAINST TRADE SANCTIONS
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1994
HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE CLEARLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS BUT FEEL THAT USING TRADE SANCTIONS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY NOR IS IT AN KFFECTIVE WAY OF ENSURING THAT THERE IS IMPROVEMENT IN THE HUMAN SAID
CONDITION IN CHINA, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES BEFORE HER DEPARTURE FOR AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES, MRS CHAN SAID: OUR VIEW IS THAT THE WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE 13 TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE CHINESE TO CONTINUE TO TRADE WITH THEM BECAUSE WE
BKLIEVE THAT IN THE WAKE OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS, THERE WILL BE. IN FACT, POLITICAL PROGRESS AND PEOPLE WOULD HAVE MORE CHOICES.
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MRS CHAN EMPHASISED THAT IMPROVEMENT ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS FRONT COULD BE ACHIEVED BY WAYS OTHER THAN ECONOMIC AND TRADE SANCTIONS.
"WE
KNOW FOR A FACT THAT SANCTIONS ELSEWHERE DO NOT DO THE TRICK. THEY HAVE QUITE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT, SHE SAID.
"
ON
THE EFFECT OF MOST FAVOURED NATION (MPN) EXTENSION ON HONG KONG, MRS CHAN SAID: WE ALL WISH TO CONTINUE TO SEE HONG KONG PROSPER AND IF WE PROSPER, CHINA WILL PROSPER.
"OBVIOUSLY, IN TERMS OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, EXTENSION OF MFN WILL BE THE BEST WAY OF ENSURING THAT CHINA MAKES PROGRESS BOTH IN ITS ECONOMY AND ON THE POLITICAL FRONT AND THAT HONG KONG CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AND ITS PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING,"
AIRPORT'S COST CONTROL MECHANISM WORKING WELL
* * * * *
THE VERY STRINGENT COST CONTROL MECHANISM THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPECIFICALLY SET UP TO MONITOR EXPENDITURE UNDER THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME (ACP) HAS PROVED TO BE WORKING VERY WELL, THE SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY, MR DONALD TSANG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF AMERICAN JOURNALISTS IN WASHINGTON DC, USA, MR TSANG SAID THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOW TRIM DOWN ITS FORECAST REQUIREMENT FOR THE SEVEN GOVERNMENT PROJECTS BY $7.6 BILLION, FROM $60.1 BILLION ESTIMATED IN EARLY 1992 TO $52.5 BILLION ESTIMATED IN EARLY 1994.
"THE SUBSTANTIAL SAVING STEMS MAINLY FROM HIGHLY TENDERING ON A VERY COST-EFFECTIVE PROGRAMME.
COMPETITIVE
"IT IS ALSO DUE TO REDUCTIONS IN THE LEVELS OF CONTINGENCY ALLOWANCES AND REVISIONS IN OUR CONSTRUCTION INFLATION FORECASTS, SAID.
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/ON U.S.