XN000022-1984-05-20 — Page 7

6

ON

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 1984

SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY TO ADDRESS CONFERENCE

*****

J

LEFT THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR JOHN YAXLEY HONG KONG THIS (SUNDAY) AFTERNOON FOR VANCOUVER TO ATTEND THE 17TH INTERNATIONAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE PACIFIC BASIN ECONOMIC COUNCIL (PBEC).

THE MEETING WILL BE FROM MAY 21 TO 24.

MR YAXLEY WILL ADDRESS THE FINAL PLENARY SESSION OF THE MEETING ON MAY 24 AT WHICH SOME 400 SENIOR BUSINESS EXECUTIVES FROM MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND.

THE THEME OF HIS SPEECH WILL BE +HONG KONG BUSINESS AS USUAL+.

MR YAXLEY AND THE GOVERNMENT PRINCIPAL INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION CONSULTANT IN NORTH AMERICA WILL ALSO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CONTACT WITH LEADING INDUSTRIALISTS AT THE CONFERENCE AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO INVEST IN HONG KONG.

BESIDES MR YAXLEY, OTHER HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES ARE

J

MR J.D. MCGREGOR, DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE- MR S.H. SUNG, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF UNION METAL WORKS LIMITED, AND MR LOUIS E. SAUBOLLE, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE BANK OF CREDIT AND COMMERCE HONG KONG LTD.

THE THEME OF THE VANCOUVER MEETING IS EXPANSION OF PACIFIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT+.

THE LAST THREE PBEC GENERAL MEETINGS WERE HELD IN HONG KONG, NAGOYA (JAPAN) AND SANTIAGO (CHILE). NEXT YEAR'S MEETING WILL BE IN AUCKLAND (NEW ZEALAND).

PBEC WAS CREATED IN 1967 AND ITS BASIC PURPOSE IS TO FOSTER MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND SOCIAL PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE PACIFIC REGION.

AMONG OTHER THINGS, PBEC STRIVES TO IMPROVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENTS AND INCREASE TRADE AND INVESTMENT WITHIN THE PACIFIC BASIN.

PBEC HAS A HONG KONG GROUP, THE CHAIRMAN OF WHICH IS MR M.G.R. SANDBERG, WHO IS ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION.

AFTER ATTENDING THE PBEC MEETING, MR YAXLEY WILL VISIT HIS DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR TALKS WITH THE PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT, MR R.A. ASHWORTH.

MR YAXLEY WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON MAY 26.

17