56
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994
THEIR
THE
AND
CERTAIN MEMBERS HAVE CRITICISED US FOR NOT RESPONDING TO SUGGESTION THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CHINA/HONG KONG ECONOMIC COOPERATION
GIVEN COMMITTEE. SUCH A CRITICISM IS COMPLETELY MISGUIDED. ABSENCE OF A CENTRALLY PLANNED OR COMMANDED ECONOMY IN HONG KONG,
INTERVENTION GIVEN THE GOVERNMENT'S PHILOSOPHY AND POLICY OF MINIMUM
THEIR OWN BUSINESS IN THE ECONOMY AND OF LETTING BUSINESSMEN MAKE
UP DECISIONS, IT IS CLEARLY NOT THE FUNCTION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO SET
IT IS UP SUCH BILATERAL ECONOMIC OR BUSINESS COOPERATION COMMITTEES. TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR AUTONOMOUS NON-GOVERNMENT BODIES, SUCH AS THE TAKE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, TO THE INITIATIVE TO SET UP SUCH A COMMITTEE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA, IF THEY FEEL THAT IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO DO SO.
ARE
COMMITTEES
THE HONG
THE MOST WELL-KNOWN AMONG SUCH UNOFFICIAL BILATERAL THE HONG KONG/JAPAN BUSINESS COOPERATION COMMITTEE AND
IN BOTH CASES, THE KONG/UNITED STATES ECONOMIC COOPERATION COMMITTEE. BODY WHICH SET THEM UP WAS THE TDC AND THEY ARE BOTH SERVICED SOLELY BY THE TDC. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S ONLY INVOLVEMENT IN THESE COMMITTEES IS THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND WHOSE
INVOLVEMENT
IS, IN MY ANACHRONISTIC
VIEW,
THE BECAUSE
TWO
INDUSTRY,
VERY AND
THESE
BECAUSE
AND NOT ANACHRONISTIC
SECRETARY FOR TRADE APPROPRIATE. INDUSTRY'S MEMBERSHIP IS A RELIC FROM BYGONE DAYS WHEN THE PRESENCE OF A HIGH OFFICIAL WAS REGARDED AS LENDING PRESTIGE OR FACE TO
NOT
GOVERNMENT'S COMMITTEES.
VERY
BECAUSE APPROPRIATE
OF THE PHILOSOPHY AND POLICY TO WHICH I REFER EARLIER AND ESPECIALLY
ON THERE ARE NO JAPANESE OR UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES
THE THE COUNTERPART COMMITTEE IN EITHER JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES,
THE TDC IS THE HONG THIRD AND LATEST SUCH COMMITTEE INVOLVING
ON THE WHICH WAS SET UP ENTIRELY BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE KONG/KOREA
AND, QUITE INITIATIVE OF THE TDC AND ITS COUNTERPART IN SOUTH KOREA RIGHTLY, DOES NOT INCLUDE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON EITHER THE HONG KONG OR THE KOREAN SIDE.
HAVE EXPRESSED
TURNING то CONSUMER PROTECTION, SOME MEMBERS CONCERN ABOUT THE SECTOR-SPECIFIC STUDIES ON COMPETITION CONDUCTED BY COUNCIL THE CONSUMER COUNCIL. I HAVE TO POINT OUT THAT THE CONSUMER
INTERFERE WITH IS AN AUTONOMOUS STATUTORY BODY. WE HAVE NO WISH TO
COUNCIL, WE ITS DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION. IN APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE
MEMBERSHIP WHICH ARE MINDFUL OF THE NEED TO ENSURE A BROADLY BASED DOES NOT REPRESENT ANY PARTICULAR SECTORAL INTERESTS.
COUNCIL, CONSUMER
COMPETITION
THE
CONSULTANTS TO CONDUCT IN SELECTING DOES STUDIES, SECTOR-SPECIFIC
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXPERTISE REQUIRED. IT IS UNFAIR TO DISCREDIT THESE STUDIES SIMPLY ON THE GROUND THAT PRACTITIONERS IN THE RELEVANT SECTORS ARE NOT DIRECTLY AND INVOLVED
THE CONSUMER COUNCIL HAS GIVEN IN THE CONSULTANCIES.
OF WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE PRACTITIONERS IN THE RELEVANT SECTORS PLENTY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE STUDIES ARE FINALISED.
THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRADE PRACTICES DIVISION IN THE то CONSUMER COUNCIL WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE COUNCIL'S CAPABILITY
HAVE A THE NEW DIVISION WILL UNDERTAKE THESE COMPETITION STUDIES.
CONDUCTING RESEARCH, DEDICATED TEAM OF ECONOMISTS WITH EXPERTISE IN IT WILL BE CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO EXAMINE THE PRACTICES OF DIFFERENT TRADES AND TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CODES OF BY PROFESSIONAL AND TRADE BODIES.
PRACTICES
/AS REGARDS