FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1994
FS ENCOURAGED BY AIRPORT MEETING PROGRESS
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON THAT HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE PROGRESS THAT WAS MADE AT THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING THIS MORNING.
MEETING, SIR EXPERTS WERE
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A FINANCE COMMITTEE HAMISH SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT THE MEETING THIS AFTERNOON TO DRAFT DOCUMENTS AS THE BASIS FOR AN AGREEMENT.
"WE ARE IN A POSITIVE MOOD. I THINK BOTH SIDES ARE WORKING HARD TO TRY AND REACH AN AGREEMENT AND RESOLVE ANY OUTSTANDING POINTS.
WISH THEM EVERY LUCK. I HOPE THEY HAVE SPEEDY WORK THIS AFTERNOON, HE SAID.
ז"
It
0
HK WELL-PLACED IN SOUTH CHINA ECONOMY
*
KONG HONG
WILL
PEOPLE,
WITH BE WELL-PLACED
THEIR
TO
KNOWLEDGE
AS ACT
OF
ENGLISH AND THE MIDDLEMEN
FOR ECONOMIC
PUTONGHUA, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS WANTING TO PLAY A PART IN THE RISING STATUS OF SOUTHERN CHINA.
IMPORTANT JUST
TO ENSURE THAT THE EDUCATION SYSTEM CAN SUPPORT THIS STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE FOR HONG KONG, THE EDUCATION COMMISSION HAS COMPLETED A STUDY OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ISSUES.
MR
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MICHAEL LEUNG, IN BRUSSELS TODAY (FRIDAY) AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE BELGIAN-HONG KONG SOCIETY.
TOUR
FACILITIES
MR LEUNG AND MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION ARE ON A HOLLAND AND BELGIUM TO STUDY THE EDUCATION SYSTEMS AND
OF THERE.
HE TOLD
THAT
THE AUDIENCE
BETWEEN 1983
THE AND 1993, UNDERSTAND ENGLISH PROPORTION OF HONG KONG'S POPULATION CLAIMING TO ROSE FROM 44 PER CENT TO 70 PER CENT, AND FROM 39 PER CENT TO 63 CENT FOR PUTONGHUA.
PER
Fr
"IN MOST PLACES, SUCH AN ACHIEVEMENT WOULD BE
APPLAUDED,
HE
SAID.
MORE RAPID
OF
THE
"HOWEVER,
KONG, BECAUSE IN HONG
OF THE EVEN RESTRUCTURING AND GROWTH OF OUR ECONOMY, THE GAP BETWEEN THE NEEDS SOCIETY FOR LANGUAGE SKILLS, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF PEOPLE WITH RIGHT SKILLS, HAS ACTUALLY WIDENED DURING THE SAME PERIOD," HE POINTED OUT.
/HE SAID