XN000022-1984-10-24 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1984

MR HU ALSO RAISED THE QUESTION OF A CONTRIBUTORY CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND.

+ALTHOUGH I ACCEPT THAT OUR EXISTING NON-CONTRIBUTORY SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMMES SHOULD REMAIN THE CENTRAL PILLAR OF OUR SYSTEM, A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME COULD BE WORKED OUT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO THOSE AFFECTED, FOR EXAMPLE, BY TEMPORARY UNEMPLOYMENT OR RETIREMENT AND IT COULD EVEN REDUCE THE CONTINUED BURDEN ON PUBLIC FUNDS, HE SAID.

SEARCH FOR MORE MARKETS URGED ****

PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE SEARCH FOR MORE MARKETS AND TO PRODUCT DIVERSIFICATION, THE HON WONG PO-YAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

BOTH JAPAN AND CHINA DESERVED PARTICULAR ATTENTION, AS FAR AS MARKETS WERE CONCERNED, HE SAID.

+EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE JAPANESE MARKETS, DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF ITS SALES NETWORK AND INCESSANT ATTEMPTS TO ENTER THE MARKET WILL ONE DAY BRING CORRESPONDING RESULTS,+ HE SAID.

AS FOR CHINA, HE SAID THAT THE COUNTRY'S TRADE POLICY HAD BEEN CHANGING AND MORE DECISION-MAKING POWER WAS BEING DELEGATEL. THIS HAD RESULTED IN PROVINCES AND MUNICIPALITIES ENGAGING IN TRADE WITH HONG KONG.

THE NEW ECONOMIC POLICIES RECENTLY ANNOUNCED BY CHINA WOULD FURTHER ENHANCE THIS PROCESS, HE SAID.

+ON ACCOUNT OF THIS, I SUGGEST THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DIRECT AND HELP THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO ORGANISE MORE PROMOTION ACTIVITIES IN VARIOUS PROVINCES AND MUNICIPALITIES OF CHINA.

+ IT WILL, ON ONE HAND, PROVIDE A CHANCE FOR TRADE EXPANSION FOR LOCAL MANUFACTURES AND, ON THE OTHER, SHOW OUR EXPERIENCE AND WAYS OF FOREIGN TRADE TO THE TRADING ORGANISATIONS OF CHINA,+ HE SAID.

APART FROM PROMOTING TRADE, MR WONG SAID, INDUSTRIAL DIVERSIFICATION SHOULD ALSO BE HIGH ON HONG KONG'S PRIORITY LIST.

/HE COMMENDED