XN000022-1987-02-06 — Page 17

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1987

HSU EXPLAINS AIMS OF POLITICAL REVIEW

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ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MUST BE GEARED TOWARDS PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK FOR HONG KONG TO GROW AS A STABLE AND SUCCESSFUL SOCIETY, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR ADOLF HSU, SAID IN SAN FRANCISCO TODAY (FRIDAY, HK TIME).

ADDRESSING A JOINT MEETING OF THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE ASIAN BUSINESS LEAGUE, MR HSU ASSURED HIS AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 200 THAT THE VE IWS OF THE HONG KONG PUBLIC WOULD BE TAKEN INTO FULL ACCOUNT THROUGH THE GREEN PAPER REVIEW ON THE PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WHICH IS TO BE CONDUCTED DURING 1987.

+THE REVIEW WILL CONSIDER WHETHER FURTHER CHANGES ARE DESIRABLE, AND IF SO, THE TIMESCALE FOR THEIR INTRODUCTION. THERE WILL AGAIN BE PUBLIC CONSULTATION, THE PUBLIC'S VIEWS AND WISHES WILL BE TAKEN INTO FULL ACCOUNT, MR HSU SAID.

CONCEDING THAT INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES WOULD BE WITHOUT MEANING UNLESS BACKED BY A STRONG AND RESILIENT ECONOMY, MR HSU SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S PHILOSOPHY OF MINIMUM INTERFERENCE AND INTERVENTION IN THE THE ECONOMY DURING THE TWO YEARS OF NEGOTIATION OVER HONG KONG'S FUTURE HAD ENABLE HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN

AND INDUSTRIAL ISTS TO GET ON WITH THEIR JOB WITHOUT BEING SUBJECT TO DIRECTIVES AND CONCERN FROM A GOVERNMENT PREOCCUPIED BY THE WE IGHTY PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE.+

HE NOTED THAT ALL THE ECONOMIC INGREDIENTS FOR MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY EXISTED IN HONG KONG, EVIDENCED BY THE INCREASE IN DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND IN IMPORTS DURING 1986.

ANOTHER ECONOMIC FACTOR AND AN IMPORTANT INDICATOR OF THE POLITICAL MOOD, THE CONFIDENCE FACTOR, WAS THE SIGNIFICANT REVIVAL IN INVESTMENT INTENTIONS: MR HSU POINTED OUT THAT IMPORTS OF CAPITAL GOODS AND RETAINED IMPORTS OF INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY GREW BY 23 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD FOR 1985.

+THESE FIGURES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THEY DO NOT INDICATE AN ECONOMY THAT IS RUNNING DOWN BUT ONE THAT IS PREPARING FOR A FRESH SURGE AHEAD, + HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE FUTURE, MR HSU EMPHASISED THAT THERE WAS A CONTINUING COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS TO ABIDE BY THE TERMS OF THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT WHICH PROVIDED FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE.

+WE ARE ENCOURAGED IN THAT TASK BY THE SUPPORT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR PARTNERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT, + MR HSU SAID.

+EVERYBODY IS WORKING HARD TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S SUCCESS AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST AS AN UNIQUE AND VIBRANT ENTITY IN THE YEARS AHEAD, HE CONCLUDED.

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