XN000022-1985-07-12 — Page 8

FRIDA, JULY 12, 1985

BUT IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN CHINA +TO UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEMS OPERATING IN HONG KONG IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE THE REASONS AND THE FACTORS BEHIND ITS SUCCESS.+

TWENTY-FIVE STUDENTS FROM ZHONGSHAN IN CANTON AND UNIVERSITIES IN HONG KONG HAD TAKEN PART IN THE PROGRAMME OVER THE PAST 12 DAYS, STUDYING AND ATTENDING SEMINARS ON A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS SUCH AS FINANCE, COMMUNICATIONS, TRADE DEVELOPMENT, TEXTILES, TOURISM, SHIPPING, PETROLEUM AND CHEMICALS.

MR LIAO SAID HONG KONG HAD A REPUTATION FOR ITS RESILIENCE IN CHALLENGING TIMES, RESPONSIVENESS TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND RESOURCEFULNESS ÎN FINDING SOLUTIONS TO ITS MANY PROBLEMS.

+HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS RESTS UPON ITS FREE-ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, THE INNOVATIVE AND HARDWORKING POPULATION, AND A STABLE LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK WHICH IS CONDUCIVE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROSPERITY, HE SAID.

COMPARING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO THAT OF A MAJOR COMPANY, MR LIAO SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAXPAYERS AND THE PUBLIC WHOSE INTERESTS IT SERVED, IN THE SAME WAY A COMPANY WAS ANSWERABLE TO ITS SHAREHOLDERS AND THE CUSTOMERS IT SERVED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE INDEPENDENT BODIES, SUCH AS THE ICAC AND THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT, TO SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE AND TO PUT RIGHT ANY WRONG-DOINGS.

TURNING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, MR LIAO SAID THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME MANIFESTED THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHED TO PUBLIC OPINIONS,

+THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE NOW BEEN FUNCTIONING FOR OVER FOUR YEARS, AND HAVE PROVED THEIR WORTH.+

+THEY HAVE BECOME AN IMPORTANT STRAND IN THE POLITICAL FABRIC OF HONG KONG.+

HE SAID HONG KONG HAD MOVED INTO A NEW PHASE IN ITS HISTORY WITH THE RATIFICATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT WHICH HAD SET A CLEAR FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE TERRITORY WAS TO CONTINUE ITS DEVELOPMENT WITH A SENSE OF DIRECTION AND PURPOSE.

+THERE WILL OF COURSE BE CHANGES DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD LEADING UP TO 1997, AND TO COPE WITH THESE CHANGES, HONG KONG IS DEVELOPING REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AT THREE LEVELS, + MR LIAO SAID.

THESE INCLUDE THE STRENGTHENING OF THE REPRESENTATIVE STATUS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS, ESTABLISHING THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND INTRODUCING INDIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

/MEMBERS OF