XN000022-1980-11-10 — Page 3

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1980

THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTERVENE IN AREAS OF INTEREST

COVERED BY THE HONG KONG SHIPPERS' COUNCIL. IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW THAT A BETTER WAY TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CAN CONTINUE TO EXPORT ITS PRODUCTS AT COMPETITIVE SHIPPING RATES WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SHIPPERS' COUNCIL, WHICH HAS BUILT UP CONSIDERABLE EXPERTISE AND HAS A FINE REPUTATION AMONGST SHIPPERS' COUNCILS IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, IS STRENGTHENED AND IS GIVEN SUCH ASSISTANCE AS THE GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE.

+1 AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS VIEW HAS, OVER THE YEARS, PROVEN TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD AND THE LOCAL SHIPPERS' INTERESTS HAVE BEEN MORE THAN ADEQUATELY PROMOTED AND PROTECTED BY THE WORK OF THE HONG KONG SHIPPERS' COUNCIL, HE SAID.

DURING THE THREE-DAY VISIT TO HONG KONG, THE UN ESCAP STUDY TOUR WILL BE EXCHANGING VIEWS WITH THE HONG KONG SHIPPERS' COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL IS ACTIVE IN PROMOTING REGIONAL CO-OPERATION IN THE FIELD OF SHIPPERS' ORGANISATIONS, AND MAINTAINS CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE UN ESCAP IN BANGKOK AND WITH OTHER NATIONAL SHIPPERS' ORGANISATIONS IN THE REGION.

+ IT IS ONLY THROUGH CO-OPERATION THAT EXPERIENCES GAINED BY INDIVIDUAL SHIPPERS' ORGANISATIONS CAN BE SHARED AND A MORE EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION OF THE SHIPPERS' INTEREST ACHIEVED,- MR TSAO SAID.

DELEGATES WILL ALSO BE HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH SHIPOWNERS IN HONG KONG AND WILL BE OBSERVING HONG KONG'S PORT FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS.

SIR JACK OPENS TDC OFFICE IN TSUEN WAN

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THE VOLUME OF PRODUCTION AND TRADE EMANATING FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES HAS GROWN TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT IT BECAME NECESSARY FOR THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO PROVIDE A MORE EFFECTIVE MEANS OF SERVICING THE INCREASING AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE THERE.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR JACK CATER AT THE OPENING OF THE COUNCIL'S 22ND AS WELL AS ITS FIRST HONG KONG BRANCH OFFICE IN CASTLE PEAK ROAD, TSUEN WAN THIS MORNING.

SIR JACK SAID THE LOCATION OF THE OFFICE ENDORSED HIS OWN VIEW OF THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AS A CENTRE OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG.

+TUEN MUN, TAI PO AND YUEN LONG ARE ALSO FAST DEVELOPING BUSINESS AREAS.

+THIS OPENING IS THEREFORE MORE THAN SYMBOLIC: THERE ARE INDEED EXTREMELY PRACTICAL REASONS FOR ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT TDC PRESENCE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE SAID.

/HE NOTEL