-

12 -

-

Question (AP Dow Jones): You did announce some things regarding research and development - the new Industrial Park and the Science Park plans is there any focus to these plans? Are you trying to lure any particular type of business or is it just we've got some real estate coming and locate something here? I mean what is the real focus with that plan?

FS: The focus quite clearly emanates from our recognition that the economy as a whole is changing very rapidly. It is changing rapidly in the sense that all the labour intensive manufacturing operations have now migrated northwards. We need a high value added technology based industry in Hong Kong and for that to materialise we have to do something special and in that regard we have consultancy reports studying a science park and come to some very positive recommendations. For that reason we want to make this bold step forward.

This is not in response to any specific proposal of sites or not that we have more sites to spare therefore we want to create a science park. But rather in recognition that we have now reached a state of development that in order to maintain a vibrant, a prosperous and a leading role for our manufacturing industry, we have to make further investment and this is one of the investment areas.

Question: some places... target some... industry (inaudible)

FS: We don't do that. We don't target. It is our philosophy that targeting is done by entrepreneur. As a government I should not lead the economy into specific field like, in some countries, might wish to go to ship building, the others might wish to go to electronics. It is a commercial decision which should be taken by manufacturers, by our industrialists, not by this government. Our role is to provide the environment where such decision can be made in a most convenient way.

Question (? organisation) (in Cantonese): Now Mr Tsang, in the process of the Budget preparation were you under serious constraints because we get the feeling that you are treading a very careful line? You don't want to give the Chinese side an impression of overspending and at the same time you are concerned that your Budget would not be approved by LegCo. So do you feel that you are under heavy constraints an also what is your assessment of the chance of the Budget being approved in LegCo?

Share This Page