XN000022-1986-08-08 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1986

THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF WATCHES AND CLOCKS IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 1986, AT $4 141 MILLION, WAS $801 MILLION OR 24 PER CENT MORE THAN IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 1985. EXPORTS OF ELECTRONIC WATCHES ACCOUNTED FOR THE BULK OF THE GROWTH.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

A PHOTOGRAPH OF MR JACOBS' VISIT WILL BE SENT BY FACSIMILE NETWORK LATER.

MISSION OFF TO PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT

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AN INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT MISSION LEFT FOR AUSTRALIA TODAY (FRIDAY) AS PART OF CONTINUING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE AUSTRALIAN INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY,

MR C.L. CH THE DELEGATION, COMPRISING PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT AND A CONSULTANT, MR TOMMY LAI, FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S ONE STOP UNIT+, WILL VISIT WESTERN AUSTRALIA, MAINLY IN AND AROUND PERTH, FROM AUGUST 11 TO 15.

AS A FOLLOW-UP MISSION TO ONE IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, MR CHU AND MR LAI WILL RENEW CONTACTS WITH COMPANIES ALREADY KNOWN TO THE DEPARTMENT AND HAVING AN INTEREST IN INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG.

THEY WILL VISIT A NUMBER OF PRE-SELECTED COMPANIES TO DISCUSS THE ADVANTAGES OF HONG KONG AS AN OFFSHORE MANUFACTURING BASE. IN ADDITION, THEY WILL CALL ON GOVERNMENT OFFICES, TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS AND BANKS TO EXPLAIN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT PROMOTION POLICY AND ACTIVITIES.

AS ONE OF A REGULAR SERIES OF INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT PROMOTION MISSIONS TO AUSTRALIA ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT SINCE 1976, THE MISSION IS INTENDED TO MAINTAIN THE INTEREST OF AUSTRALIAN INVESTORS IN HONG KONG.

AUSTRALIA RANKS EIGHTH AMONG OVERSEAS COUNTRIES INVESTING

IN HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, WITH A TOTAL OF

28 ESTABLISHMENTS EMPLOYING SOME 3 000 WORKERS.

TOTAL AUSTRALIAN INVESTMENT IS VALUED AT ABOUT $191 MILLION, OF WHICH THE LARGEST ARE IN THE NON-METALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS AND BASIC METAL INDUSTRIES.

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