XN000022-1984-04-18 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1984

NEW GROWTH STRATEGY PROPOSED FOR ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY *****

A NEW STUDY HAS PROPOSED A DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TO ASSIST THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY TO DIVERSIFY INTO HIGHER VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS.

OF TEN SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS, THREE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE PROVISION OF INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT FACILITIES:

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, OF A PRECISION METAL WORKING INSTITUTE AND OF A COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE.

THE REPORT STUDY OF THE HONG KONG ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY+ WAS PREPARED BY THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE. IT IS ON SALE AT $26 AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG.

THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, DECIDED, AT ITS MEETING ON MARCH 30, TO CONSULT THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY AND MAJOR TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY, AND ON THE FINDINGS OF AN AD HOC WORKING GROUP PREVIOUSLY APPOINTED BY THE BOARD TO CONSIDER IT.

THE WORKING GROUP SUPPORTED, IN PRINCIPLE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT FELT THAT THE COMPUTER PROPOSAL SHOULD BE PURSUED IN THE CONTEXT OF AN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION PROPOSAL SEPARATELY PREPARED BY HKPC.

THE WORKING GROUP ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE FUNDING OF THE ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CENTRE AND THE PRECISION METAL WORKING INSTITUTE COULD BE DONE ON THE BASIS OF AN AD VALOREM LEVY ON ELECTRONICS EXPORTS WHICH COULD BE AT A RATE OF 0.03 PER CENT - AS IN THE CASE OF THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING LEVY.

THE VIEWS OF THE INDUSTRY ON THESE PROPOSALS ARE BEING SOUGHT. THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HAS FORWARDED COPIES OF BOTH REPORTS TO ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED FOR THEIR COMMENTS. THE ORGANISATIONS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SUBMIT THEIR VIEWS, WITHIN THREE MONTHS, TO THE BOARD'S SECRETARIAT.

(THE WORKING GROUP'S REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FREE OF CHARGE. REQUESTS FOR COPIES SHOULD BE SENT TO THE IDB SECRETARIAT, C/O INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, 14/F., OCEAN CENTRE, CANTON ROAD, KOWLOON.)

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO FORWARD ANY COMMENTS THEY MAY HAVE ON THE TWO REPORTS AND THE PROPOSED LEVY TO THE IDB SECRETARIAT AT THE SAME ADDRESS BEFORE JULY 16, 1984.

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