WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1994
GOVERNOR: WHAT I SAID IN MY LETTER, IT WAS WHOLLY WELL-INTENTIONED, AS I SAID, CAME BEFORE THERE WAS ANY SPECULATION ABOUT HIS VISIT, I WROTE ON APRIL 13.
A WHAT I SAID WAS THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING
RANGE OF OPTIONS AND WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO DAMPEN DOWN THE PROPERTY MARKET AND THE INCREASE IN PRICES IN THE PROPERTY MARKET WITHOUT DOING ANY, AS IT WERE, STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE MARKET. I THINK MOST OF THE ANALYSTS AND MOST OF THE COMMENTATORS ON THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY RECOGNISE THAT ONE HAS TO STRIKE RATHER A DIFFICULT BALANCE. THAT
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING AT THE MOMENT. I THINK YOU WILL KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A RANGE OF ISSUES PRINCIPALLY ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, ON THE LAND SUPPLY SIDE BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE MAY HAVE TO CONSIDER AS WELL. AND WHAT I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO DO WAS TO GO THROUGH WITH THE SORT OF MEASURES THAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT TOTALLY FRANKLY DIRECTOR LU PING BECAUSE HE HAS UNDERSTANDABLE INTEREST IN THE IMPACT OF ANYTHING WE DO, NOT ONLY ON THE ECONOMY TODAY BUT ON THE ECONOMY IN THE FUTURE. IT'S A BIG LIVELIHOOD ISSUE IN HONG KONG. I HAVE SAID BEFORE THAT I THINK IT'S PRETTY WELL TOP OF EVERYBODY'S PERSONAL THAT. DOMESTIC AGENDA. SO I WANTED TO SPEAK VERY FRANKLY TO HIM ABOUT I ALSO WANTED TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THE TRANSITION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
WELL- WE KNOW VERY WELL THAT THAT IS CRUCIAL TO HONG KONG'S BEING AND WE KNOW VERY WELL THAT I THINK SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT A RECENT SURVEY WHICH SUGGESTED THAT A LOT CIVIL SERVANTS IN HONG KONG WERE THINKING ABOUT LEAVING BECAUSE OF THEIR WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE. THAT WAS SOMETHING WANTED TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT. BUT, IF WE HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE THIS TIME, I AM SURE WE'LL HAVE THE CHANCE IN THE FUTURE. LAST ONE.
IN
OF
1997
ELSE
I
QUESTION: GOVERNOR, ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED OR ANGRY THAT YOU WON'T TO MEET HIM?
GET
VERY
GOVERNOR: I THINK HONG KONG WILL BE DISAPPOINTED BUT I'VE GOT A BUSY SCHEDULE OF ENGAGEMENTS NEXT WEEK. I WOULD HAVE CHANGED ANY OF MY ENGAGEMENTS IN ORDER TO BE THERE ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET. I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO INVITE DIRECTOR LU PING TO AN EARLY CELEBRATION OF MY 50TH BIRTHDAY WHICH COMES THE FOLLOWING WEEK. BUT I MUST WANT TO
WHAT I SAID EARLIER. I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE IN REPEAT
HONG KONG EXPECT US TO BE OTHER THAN VERY OPEN-MINDED, VERY BROAD-MINDED, RATHER GENEROUS IN OUR APPROACH TO THIS SORT OF ISSUES. THERE ARE SERIOUS I QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS AND I REPEAT WHAT I SAID EARLIER, AM PREPARED TO OPEN ANY DOOR; I AM PREPARED TO GO UP ANY STREET IN ORDER TO HAVE AS GOOD AND OPEN A DIALOGUE WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS AS POSSIBLE AND MY PREDICTION, I AM NOT A MAN WHO GOES IN PROPHECY MUCH,
MY PREDICTION IS BEFORE VERY LONG AND THOSE MEETINGS SEE TAKING PLACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.
VERY
YOU WILL
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