XN000022-1987-01-24 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 1987

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MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRONICS COMPONENTS A HK FIRST

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HONG KONG'S ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY HAS TAKEN THE FIRST STEP IN REDUCING OVER-DEPENDENCE ON THE EXTERNAL SUPPLY OF COMPONENTS FOR ITS ASSEMBLY-TYPE OPERATIONS WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LOCAL FACTORY TO MANUFACTURE HIGH-GRADE COPPER-CLAD LAMINATES THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING OF MICA-AVA (FAR EAST) INDUSTRIAL LIMITED, MR JACOBS SAID THAT CONTINUING DEPENDENCE ON THE EXTERNAL SUPPLY OF COMPONENTS COULD AFFECT THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY IN THE FUTURE.

HE POINTED OUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEW COMPANY IN THAT THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY WOULD NOT NEED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR ITS LAMINATES WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF A READY SUPPLYING BASE LOCALLY.

MR JACOBS CONGRATULATED THE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY FOR HAVING THE FORESIGHT IN EFFECTING THE TRANSFER OF FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY INTO

HONG KONG.

+ IT IS IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG DEVELOPS ITSELF AT A NATURAL PACE IN THE FIELD OF HIGHER TECHNOLOGY, HE SAID.

MR JACOBS SAID HE HOPED OTHER LEADERS OF INDUSTRY WOULD FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE AND CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL IN HONG KONG.

HE ALSO ENSURED THAT IT WAS AND WOULD BE THE INTENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO DO ALL THAT IT COULD, WITHIN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, TO ENCOURAGE INDUSTRIES TO ACHIEVE GREATER PRODUCTIVITY AND BETTER QUALITY.

PROVISIONAL TRADE FIGURES FOR DECEMBER RELEASED *****

THE STRONG GROWTH IN EXTERNAL TRADE CONTINUED IN DECEMBER 1986. THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN DECEMBER 1986, AT $15 365 MILLION, GREW BY 24.7 PER CENT OR $3 040 MILLION COMPARED WITH DECEMBER 1985, WHILE THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS GREW BY 33.4 PER CENT OR $3 161 MILLION TO $12 626 MILLION, ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONAL TRADE FIGURES PUBLISHED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

TAKING DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND RE-EXPORTS TOGETHER, THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS, AT $27 991 MILLION, WAS 28.5 PER CENT OR $6 201 MILLION HIGHER THAN IN DECEMBER 1985.

THE VALUE