XN000022-1986-12-17 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1986

+THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE OF 26 PER CENT IN APPROVALS TO START WORK ON ALL TYPES OF NEW BUILDINGS IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF 1986 BUT PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY,+ HE ADDED.

DESPITE A HEALTHY ECONOMY AND PROMISING PROSPECTS IN THE SHORT-TERM, SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE THREAT OF PROTECTIONISM TO COUNTER PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES AND TO DEFEND HONG KONG'S TRADING INTERESTS.

+A NEW OFFICE HAS BEEN SET UP IN SAN FRANCISCO THIS YEAR TO STRENGTHEN HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATION IN THE STATES SO AS TO ENSURE THAT OUR CASE IS FULLY HEARD IN OUR LARGEST EXPORT MARKET.

+CONSULTANTS ARE EMPLOYED TO REVIEW OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS

SIR DAVID SAID.

EFFORTS,

THE OVERSEAS OFFICES ALSO SOUGHT TO ARRANGE SPEAKING PLATFORMS FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND BUSINESSMEN.

HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATIONS WERE ALSO ORGANISED FROM TIME TO TIME TO CO-ORDINATE THE EFFORTS OF GOVERNMENT AND OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS TO ACHIEVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG OVERSEAS.

SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT THE LATE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO THE U.S. WEST COAST IN THE SUMMER DEMONSTRATED THE SUCCESS OF SUCH CO-ORDINATION.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BELGIUM-HONG KONG SOCIETY IN BRUSSELS WHICH SIR DAVID RECENTLY ADDRESSED WERE AIMED TO PROMOTE COMMERCIAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LINKS BETWEEN BELGIUM AND HONG KONG. SIMILAR ORGANISATIONS EXISTED IN THE NETHERLANDS AND ITALY.

THESE WERE THE FRUIT OF HONG KONG'S PROMOTION EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH BUSINESS CONTACTS OVERSEAS, HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID SAID THAT A MAJOR BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS WAS BEING PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR TO INTRODUCE HONG KONG AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE, THE GATEWAY TO CHINA AND A GOOD PLACE FOR INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT.

HE REITERATED GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES OF NOT INTERVENING IN BUSINESS DECISIONS BUT TO ASSIST IN AN INDIRECT MANNER BY IMPROVING ITS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES, MAINTAINING THE CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND EXPANDING THE PROVISION OF INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT FACILITIES AND TECHNICAL BACKUP SERVICES.

/IN ADDITION,