XN000022-1984-02-13 — Page 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1984

POSITIVE PRODUCT MARKETING HELPS RECOVERY

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GOVERNOR

THE POSITIVE ATTITUDE OF HONG KONG COMPANIES IN MARKETING THEIR PRODUCTS CONTRIBUTED TO THE RECOVERY IN OUR MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY SINCE THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1983, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID THIS (MONDAY) EVENING.

+THE CONTINUATION OF THIS POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY AN INCREASINGLY WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND INDUSTRIES FOR WHICH THERE IS MARKET DEMAND AND POTENTIAL, SIR EDWARD ADDED.

THE GOVERNOR EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE TASKS OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

SPEAKING AT THE 15TH PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOR THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SIR EDWARD SAID:

+IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS, THE 15TH PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOR THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN.

+AT THE LAST PRESENTATION CEREMONY, I SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE VICISSITUDES OF THE WORLD ECONOMY,"TIMES HAD NOT BEEN EASY FOR OUR MANUFACTURING AND EXPORT TRADES. THE SITUATION HAS NOW CHANGED FOR THE BETTER AND THERE HAS BEEN EVIDENCE OF A CONTINUED RECOVERY IN OUR MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY SINCE THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1983. BUSINESS ORDERS HAVE PICKED UP SIGNIFICANTLY AND REMAINED STRONG THROUGHOUT THE LATTER PART OF THE YEAR. LIKEWISE, THE DOMESTIC EXPORT SECTOR CONTINUED TO SHOW AN IMPRESSIVE GROWTH RATE DURING THE PERIOD. IN REAL TERMS OUR DOMESTIC EXPORTS FOR 1983 WERE 14 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THAT OF 1982.

+THIS REMARKABLE GROWTH IS NO DOUBT RELATED TO THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE ECONOMIES OF THE COUNTRIES WHICH ARE HONG KONG'S MAIN MARKETS. BUT I AGREE WITH YOU, MR TANG, THAT IT ALSO OWES MUCH TO THE POSITIVE ATTITUDE OF HONG KONG COMPANIES IN THE MARKETING OF THEIR PRODUCTS. THE CONTINUATION OF THIS POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY AN INCREASINGLY WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND INDUSTRIES FOR WHICH THERE IS MARKET DEMAND AND POTENTIAL. THIS IS, INDEED, ONE OF THE TASKS OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

+THE DESIGN PROCESS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE WHOLE BUSINESS OF MANUFACTURE, BOTH IN IMPROVING EXISTING PRODUCTS AND IN DEVELOPING NEW ONES. A GOOD QUALITY PRODUCT MUST START WITH A GOOD DESIGN. BETTER DESIGN MEANS BETTER QUALITY PRODUCTS, GREATER CONSUMER APPEAL, AND HENCE FULLER ORDER BOOKS. IN THIS RESPECT, I MUST PAY TRIBUTE TO THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES, WHO ORGANISE THIS COMPETITION, FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTS, NEW DESIGNS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN QUALITY.

/+THE GOVERNMENT,