XN000022-1986-05-27 — Page 5

TUESDAY, MAY 27, 1986

4

ONGOING PROGRAMME OF INDUSTRIAL STUDIES MAINTAINED

******

THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT WILL BE MAINTAINING AN ONGOING PROGRAMME OF STUDIES AIMED AT IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEMS AND OBSTACLES FACED BY LOCAL MANUFACTURERS.

SPEAKING ON INDUSTRIAL POLICY FORMULATION+ TO THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES TODAY (TUESDAY), THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR K.Y. YEUNG OUTLINED THE HIGHLY RATIONAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT'S INDUSTRIAL POLICIES WERE FORMULATED.

HE ALSO EXPLAINED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAMME OF STUDIES WHICH FORMED THE BASIS FOR PLANNING MOST OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT FACILITIES AND TECHNICAL BACK-UP SERVICES FOR MANUFACTURERS.

MR YEUNG SAID THAT 12 STUDIES HAD BEEN FINANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT SINCE 1982 AT A COST OF ABOUT $13 MILLION.

THE STUDIES, CARRIED OUT ON THE ADVICE OF THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, COVERED SUCH BROAD AREAS OF STUDY AS THE METALS FABRICATION, ELECTRONICS, AND THE PLASTICS CONVERSION INDUSTRY.

HE SAID IT WAS THE TASK OF THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY ANY OBSTACLES WHICH PREVENTED LOCAL INDUSTRIES FROM EXPLOITING TO THE FULL OPPORTUNITIES IN HONG KONG'S MAJOR EXPORT MARKETS. AND WHERE THESE OBSTACLES WERE CAUSED BY PUBLIC POLICIES TO SEEK TO REMOVE THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

THIS WAS DONE BY MAINTAINING AN ONGOING PROGRAMME OF STUDIES, EACH CARRIED OUT BY EXPERT FIRMS OF CONSULTANTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL AND THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, HE SAID.

+ THE PROGRAMME OF STUDIES IS QUITE FORMIDABLE,+ HE SAID.

IN RESPECT OF THE FOUR MAJOR INDUSTRIAL GROUPS, THE STUDY ON THE PLASTICS CONVERSION INDUSTRY, COMPLETED A MONTH AGO, WOULD BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY AND WOULD BE REPEATED IN 1989-90.

THE STUDY ON THE GARMENTS, TEXTILES AND RELATED INDUSTRIES AND THE STUDY ON THE METALS FABRICATION AND LIGHT ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES WOULD START IN 1986-87 AND BE COMPLETED THE SAME YEAR.

MR YEUNG SAID THE STUDY ON ELECTRONICS WAS COMPLETED IN 1983 AND ALREADY FORMED THE BASIS ON WHICH A NUMBER OF SUPPORT FACILITIES AND BACK-UP SERVICES HAD BEEN PROVIDED. IT WOULD BE REPEATED IN 1987-88.

/IN ADDITION