XN000022-1985-11-22 — Page 8

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1985

7

TAKING HONG KONG'S MESSAGE ACROSS AMERICA

*****

THE REPRESENTATIONAL ROLE OF THE HONG KONG COMMISSION IN NEW YORK HAS NOT BEEN DIMINISHED BY THE GREAT PRESSURE PLACED O ITS RESOURCES IN COMBATING THE JENKINS BILL, ACCORDING TO THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS, MISS DENISE YUE, ON WHOSE SHOULDERS MUCH OF THE REPRESENTATIONAL WORK HAS FALLEN IN RECENT MONTHS.

SPEAKING IN AN INTERVIEW IN NEW YORK, MISS YUE SAID THAT THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE NEW YORK OFFICE WAS TO REPRESENT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN NORTH AMERICA AND TO MAKE SURE ITS POSITIVE IMAGE WAS REINFORCED AMONG THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

HOWEVER, A LOT OF THE WORK OF THE OFFICE, AND PARTICULARLY OF THE COMMISSIONER, MR BILL DORWARD, HAS RECENTLY BEEN DIVERTED TO FIGHTING TRADE BATTLES IN WASHINGTON.

MISS YUE, WHO TOOK UP HER POST AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER SEVEN MONTHS AGO, SAID THAT IN HER VISITS TO VARIOUS PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA SHE HAD ENCOUNTERED GREAT INTEREST IN HONG KONG, PARTICULARLY ABOUT ITS FUTURE.

+ I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE SECURITY FOR HONG KONG PROVIDED BY THE SINO-DRITISH AGREEMENT, AND THE GROUNDWORK BEING LAID BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE, SHE SAID.

DURING THE PAST TWO MONTHS, MISS YUE HAD SPOKEN BEFORE AUDIENCES IN VANCOUVER, ALABAMA, CLEVELAND, SAN FRANCISCO AND LOS ANGELES, PLATFORMS HAVE INCLUDED WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCILS AND TRADE GROUPS, AS WELL AS THE CAMPUSES OF SEVERAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. SHE HAD ALSO GIVEN INTERVIEWS TO LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS WHEREVER SHE SPOKE.

+ IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE NOT SEEN AS ONLY BEING CONCERNED WITH ONE ISSUE, THAT OF ACCESS FOR ITS EXPORTS, SHE SAID.

+OF COURSE THIS IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, BUT IT ALSO MUST BE EMPHASISED THAT HONG KONG HAS MUCH TO OFFER AS A REGIONAL CENTRE FOR MAJOR CORPORATIONS, AS AN ENTREPOT TO CHINA, AND AS A PLACE TO MAKE A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT.+

MR DORWARD HAS ALSO BEEN PREACHING THE HONG KONG MESSAGE HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY, WITH RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS IN GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT AND MONTREAL.

+50TH THE COMMISSIONER AND I ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS AND CANADIANS ARE AWARE OF THE 'MIRACLE' THAT IS HORL KONG,+ MISS YUE SAID.

18