XN000022-1983-03-28 — Page 2

HONDAY, MARCH 28, 1983

GORDON NANZIE CALLS ON GOVERNOR

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THE UNITED KINGDOM'S DEPUTY SECRETARY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, MR GORDON MANZIE, MET THIS MORNING WITH THE GOVERNOR TO REPORT ON HIS DISCUSSIONS ÎN BEIJING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED MICLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE

ECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES WERE ALSO PRESENT.

FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S DISCUSSIONS, AT WHICH THE BRITISH DELEGATION MET WITH A CHINESE DELEGATION FROM THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES AND ELECTRIC POWER, LED BY FIRST VICE-MINISTER LI PENG, A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WAS SIGNED ON MARCH 26 EXPRESSING THE TWO SIDES SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT. DURING THEIR VISIT TO BEIJING MR MANZIE AND THE BRITISH DELEGATION WERE ALSO RECEIVED BY STATE COUNCILLOR BU MU.

THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING COVERED VARIOUS ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT. A MAJOR ITEM COVERED WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVENTIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE MUCLEAR POWER STATION BEING SUPPLIED BY GEC.

PROGRESS WAS MADE DURING THE DISCUSSIONS BUT THERE IS STILL MUCH DETAILED WORK TO BE DONE BY BOTH SIDES AND FURTHER ROUNDS OF DISCUSSION WILL BE NEEDED,

NO DECISION HAS YET BEEN TAKEN ON WHEN THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WILL TAKE PLACE.

+SANDWICH CLASS PROBLEMS ARE RETU

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THE PROBLEMS OF +SANDWICH CLASS+ FAMILIES ARE REAL AND IT IS RIGHT THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SHOW THAT IT IS AWARE OF THEN, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

IN A SPEECH TO THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN, MR BREMRIDGE SAID THE NUMBER OF THE REAL +SANDWICH CLASS+ HÕUSEHOLDS WAS RELATIVELY SMALL, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR PER CENT AND 10 PER CENT OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS, BUT PROBABLY MEARER FOUR PER CENT.

HE SAID THESE WERE THOSE MIDDLE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAD EITHER PURCHASED THEIR OWN HOMES IN RECENT YEARS OR WERE PAYING THE FAIR MARKET RENT OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO IT FOR PRIVATE RENTED ACCOMMODATION.

MR BRENRIDGE SAID THAT ACCORDING TO THE 1981 POPULATION CENSUS OUT OF A TOTAL OF SOME 1.2 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS THERE WERE ABOUT 218 000 HOUSEHOLDS WHOSE MONTHLY INCOMES RANGED BETWEEN $6 500 AND $13.000.

/BUT HE