XN000022-1984-03-15 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1984

+ IT DOESN'T WORK, HE SAID.

MR TSAO'S ADVICE TO THE STUDENT OF HONG KONG AFFAIRS WAS, FIRSTLY, TO LEARN ABOUT IT FROM THE INSIDE, AND BE PREPARED FOR AS HARD AND ENDLESS PROCESS OF ASSIMILATION.

+THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO START, HE ADDED, THAN TO AVOID THE OPINIONS AND GET DOWN TO THE FACTS, AND NO BETTER PLACE TO BEGIN THAN THIS BOOK.+

HE SAID THAT +HONG KONG 1984+ WOULD GO ON SALE TODAY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AND AT LEADING BOOKSHOPS, PRICED AT $32 PER COPY.

IF THE PRICE SOUNDED BARGAIN-BASEMENT+ IT WAS BECAUSE IN THIS CASE GOVERNMENT HAD THE EDGE OVER THE COMMERCIAL PUBLISHERS BY MAKING THE BOOK AVAILABLE AT WELL BELOW THE GOING MARKET RATE.

+WHY?+ HE ASKED, +BECAUSE WE ARE LESS INTERESTED IN MAKING A PROFIT THAN IN GETTING THIS BOOK INTO AS MANY HANDS AS POSSIBLE. IT IS THE BUSINESS OF MY DEPARTMENT TO INFORM, AND THE ANNUAL REPORT IS AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL FOR DOING JUST THAT.+

THE LATEST EDITION CONTAINS 22 CHAPTERS SPREAD OVER 325 PAGES, PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF HONG KONG'S TRADE AND INDUSTRY, FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HOUSING, SOCIAL WELFARE, LAW AND ORDER AND OTHER TOPICS OF PUBLIC INTEREST.

IN ADDITION TO THE THOUSANDS OF FACTS, FIGURES AND STATISTICS, THE REPORT INCLUDED 10 TOP-QUALITY PICTURE SECTIONS FOCUSING ON CHOSEN THEMES OR SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR, REFLECTING SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS OF HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERISTICS.

THE REVIEW CHAPTER, UNDER THE HEADING EDUCATION AT THE CROSSROADS+, HAD BEEN CONTRIBUTED BY EDUCATION EXPERTS TO TIE IN WITH THE RECENT AND CONTROVERSIAL

AND CONTROVERSIAL - LLEWELLYN REPORT.

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TO MEET RISING DEMAND, IT HAD BEEN NECESSARY TO RAISE THE PUBLICATION'S PRINT RUN EACH YEAR. FROM 30 000 COPIES FOR THE 1976 EDITION, THIS HAD NOW RISEN TO 43 000 COPIES FOR 1984, OF WHICH 32 000 COPIES WERE IN ENGLISH AND 11 000 IN CHINESE.

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