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The crime rate in the first eight months of 1996 was down by nine per cent compared with 1992. It was about the same as Singapore's - and much lower than the rates in London, New York, Tokyo and Toronto.

The business sector had seen the economy continue its 35 years of uninterrupted economic growth.

Measures taken to help business since 1992 included tax cuts and the building of a modern new airport to ensure air services continued to meet business demands.

The $4.8 billion extension to the Convention and Exhibition Centre would keep Hong Kong the best conference venue of Southeast Asia.

Concluding his review of the five-year programme, Mr Patten said arrangements were made for holding three sets of elections in 1994 and 1995: "What was our aim? A simple and clear one: to put in place electoral arrangements which were open, fair and which would command the confidence and the support of the people of Hong Kong. Well, we did exactly that."

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Governor highlights policy commitments

The Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, highlighted his government's policy commitments when he delivered his fifth and final Policy Address to the Legislative Council today (Wednesday).

Mr Patten hoped the media would give the Policy Commitments the careful study they deserved.

These commitments include, first, preparations for the transition.

Work would continue on air services agreements, the continued application of international agreements, the localisation of laws and so on, Mr Patten said.

"We will continue to train our civil servants to upgrade their Chinese language skills, to learn more about China and China's system of government, and to see that China understands more about ours," he said.

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