XN000022-1985-01-07 — Page 5

MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1985

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NEED FOR SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES' PROPOSED

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HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO MAKE BETTER PRODUCTS, TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION OR TO TACKLE SPECIFIC TECHNICAL PROBLEMS TO ACHIEVE BETTER CONTROL AND BETTER UTILISATION OF RESOURCES IN INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MRS ALICE LA! AT A SEMINAR ORGANISED BY THE INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE CHINESE GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

HONG KONG, UNLIKE THE UNITED STATES OR JAPAN, COULD NOT AFFORD TO INDULGE IN, FOR EXAMPLE, BASIC OR FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

IT SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO SPECIFIC TECHNICAL PROBLEMS TO ACHIEVE BETTER CONTROL AND BETTER UTILISATION OF RESOURCES IN INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS.

SUCH TECHNOLOGIES MIGHT BE TRANSFERRED FROM OVERSEAS,

BUT SHOULD BE SUITABLY ADAPTED TO MEET LOCAL REQUIREMENTS BY CONVERSION OF EXISTING MACHINERY OR PRODUCTION LINES. OR THEY MIGHT BE DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED LOCALLY, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, AND PRODUCTION DESIGNS.

+EITHER WAY, TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD BE AIMED AT EXPANDING PEOPLE'S CAPABILITIES, RATHER THAN DISPLACING THEM,+ SHE SAID.

MRS LAI SAID THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATION WAS +RATHER SLOW AND LIMITED IN HONG KONG, COMPARED WITH OTHER INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES+.

SHE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE HIGH COST OF EQUIPMENT, THE LACK OF EXPERIENCED TECHNICAL SUPPORTING STAFF TO RUN AND MAINTAIN THE EQUIPMENT, AND INSUFFICIENT UNDERSTANDING AS REGARDS THE WORKINGS AND BENEFITS OF THE TECHNOLOGIES.

MRS LAI SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL IN THEIR ENDEAVOURS TO PRODUCE GRADUATES WHO WOULD MEET INDUSTRY'S REQUIREMENTS.

+THROUGH THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, THE GOVERNMENT

ALSO SUPPORTS RESEARCH IN SPECIFIC AREAS.

+THREE PROJECTS ARE NOW CURRENTLY BEING UNDERTAKEN ON THE FABRICATION AND ANALYSIS OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS, AND SEMICONDUCTORS, AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN SYSTEMS FOR THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY.

/+THE HONG