XN000022-1986-06-26 — Page 23

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THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1986

+THEIR FUNCTION IS TO CONTACT, ADVISE AND ASSIST OVERSEAS "ANUFACTURERS WHO MAY WISH TO USE HONG KONG AS AN OFFSHORE MANUFACTURING BASE.

+A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 1984 SHOWS THAT ABOUT 550 MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS WERE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG INVOLVING AN AGGREGATE OVERSEAS INVESTMENT VALUE OF SOME 311 800 MILLION.

+ THE U.S., JAPAN AND BRITAIN ARE THE THREE MAIN SOURCES OF INVESTMENT, CONTRIBUTING RESPECTIVELY SOME 53 PER CENT, 21 PER CENT AND SEVEN PER CENT.+

MR YEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAD OVER 530 ACTIVE INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT ENQUIRIES ON ITS BOOKS.

+ IN ADDITION TO 23 PROMISING PROJECTS, AT THE END OF APRIL, THERE WERE ALSO 19 COMMITTED PROJECTS, ON WHICH EXPENDITURE ON PREMISES, PLANTS ETC. HAS BEEN INCURRED.

+ INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT PROMOTION IS A MEANS OF TRANSFERRING USEFUL TECHNOLOGY TO HONG KONG.

+ THE ESTABLISHMENT IN HONG KONG OF A FOREIGN MANUFACTURING OPERATION WILL DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NEW PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES TO THE MANAGERS, TECHNICIANS AND OPERATIVES IT EMPLOYS, AND TO LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS OF PARTS, COMPONENTS AND SERVICES WITH WHOM IT DOES BUSINESS.

+MY AIM IN THE MEDIUM-TERM FUTURE IS TO SEEK TO TARGET MORE SPECIFICALLY THOSE OVERSEAS FIRMS WHICH CAN BRING USEFUL TECHNOLOGY TO OUR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES,+ HE SAID,

IN EXERCISING A SURVEILLANCE ROLE ON BEHALF OF THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, MR YEUNG SAID THE DEPARTMENT IS REPRESENTED ON A NUMBER OF ADVISORY, PLANNING, GOVERNING AND CONSULTATIVE BODIES,

→IN ADDITION TO CONTRIBUTING TO POLICY-MAKING AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS ON THESE BODIES, THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT IS CONSULTED BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND BY SECRETARIAT POLICY BRANCHES ON POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS, AND RESPONDS TO THEM AFTER IT HAS ITSELF SOUGHT THE VIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL MANUFACTURERS, SECTOR ASSOCIATIONS AND SUCH BODIES AS THE CMA AND FHKI.

+EXAMPLES OF MAJOR POLICY ISSUES TO THE DELIBERATIONS ON WHICH THE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTRIBUTED INCLUDE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL LEGISLATION, COMPULSORY EMPLOYMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS, OVERTIME AND NIGHT. WORK FOR WOMEN, SEVERANCE PAY, LONG SERVICE GRATUITIES AND PROVIDENT FUNDS.

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