XN000022-1982-12-06 — Page 7

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1982

THE HIGH LEVEL OF ACTIVITY, MR MCDONALD SAID, HAD ATTRACTED MUCH OVERSEAS INTEREST AND THERE WERE NOW SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING ENGINEER ORGANISATIONS PRACTISING IN HONG KONG.

+THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A LARGE INCREASE IN THE PRESENCE OF INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTORS, WHO NOW FORM SOME 35 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS ELIGIBLE TO TENDER FOR PUBLIC WORKS OF UNLIMITED VALUE, HE SAID.

+ AM THEREFORE CONFIDENT THAT HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE OF US ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, MR MCDONALD ADDED.

IMPORTANCE OF ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY STRESSED ****

ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY PRECIPITATING A MASSIVE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL READJUSTMENT WITH CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD NOW ONLY BE GUESSED AT, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR BILL DORWARD TOLD MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERS (IEEE) TODAY (MONDAY).

OPENING THE INSTITUTE'S CONFERENCE, TENCON '82, AT THE FURAMA HOTEL, MR DORWARD SAID:

→BUT THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT MUST BE FACED, FOR THE TIDE OF PROGRESS UNLEASHED BY THE MICROCHIP CANNOT BE TURNED BACK. IT IS PARTICULARLY FITTING THAT TENCON '82 IS BEING HELD HERE IN HONG KONG IN THE MIDST OF A DYNAMIC REGION WHERE THE FOUNDATIONS ARE ALREADY LAID FOR THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER NECESSARY TO HARNESS THAT TIDE OF PROGRESS.+

MR DORWARD SPOKE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY AND SAID THERE WAS A LOT MORE THAN TECHNOLOGY AT STAKE.

+YOUR WORK IS TAKING US INTO A NEW SOCIETY WHERE MANY OLD CUSTOMS AND CONVENTIONS WILL GO BY THE BOARD. ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE COMPLEX AND SOMETIMES PAINFUL, BUT THEY MUST BE MADE.

+ IN MANY INDUSTRIES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE JOB LOSS OF RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN FAR MORE THE RESULT OF PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS THAN ECONOMIC RECESSION OR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.

+WITH MORE AND MORE APPLICATION OF MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY, THAT PROCESS MUST INEVITABLY ACCELERATE AND SOCIETIES WHICH DEPEND ON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY WILL HAVE TO ADJUST TO A DECLINING DEMAND FOR LABOUR.

+COMING GENERATIONS WILL HAVE TO BE EDUCATED FOR LEISURE TO A DEGREE HITHERTO UNDREAMED OF AND THERE WILL BE A CORRESPONDING BOOST IN THE SERVICE SECTOR, MR DORWARD SAID.

WELCOMING THE IEEE, WHICH HAS OVER 200 000 MEMBERS, TO ITS FIRST-EVER CONFERENCE IN THE REGION, AT WHICH SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ARE TO DISCUSS THE STATE OF THE ART AND FUTURE TRENDS IN ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY, MR DORWARD SAID:

+YOURS IS