XN000022-1987-04-24 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 1987

IT IS ONLY THE HIGH RISK BUILDING PRODUCTS SUCH AS SPRAYED ACOUSTIC PLASTER AND PIPE LAGGING WHICH PRESENT A PROBLEM WHEN DAMAGED, + MR PHILLIPSON SAID.

MEANWHILE, AN EARLIER SURVEY ON THE PRESENCE OF ASBESTOS COVER ING 333 AIDED SECONDARY AND PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS REVEALED 61 OF THEM REQUIRED ROUTINE MONITORING WHILE 13 NEEDED REMEDIAL ACTION, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR PAUL CORSER, SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO STARTED A SURVEY RECENTLY OF ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO IDENTIFY ASBESTOS PRODUCTS AND THE IR CONDITION. THE SURVEY WILL COVER OVER 5 000 BUILDINGS AND TAKE THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE.

+ IF HIGH RISK ASBESTOS PRODUCTS ARE UNDAMAGED, THEY ARE LEFT IN PLACE AND REGULARLY RE INSPECTED. SO FAR, ONLY FOUR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS HAVE REQUIRED ACTION TO REMOVE DAMAGED ASBESTOS ACOUSTIC PLASTER, MR CORSER ADDED.

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1986 RE-EXPORT FIGURES ANALYSED

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HONG KONG'S RE-EXPORTS, VALUED AT $122 546 MILLION IN 1986, INCREASED BY 16 PER CENT IN VALUE TERMS AS COMPARED WITH 1985, ACCORDING TO A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF RE-EXPORTS BY MARKET AND BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

RE-EXPORTS BY MARKET

CHINA, THE U.S.A., JAPAN, TAIWAN AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA WERE THE TOP FIVE MARKETS FOR HONG KONG'S RE-EXPORTS, AND THEY SHARED 33 PER CENT. 18 PER CENT

18 PER CENT, 5 PER CENT 5 PER CENT AND 5 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY OF THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS IN 1986.

CHINA REMAINED THE LARGEST MARKET FOR HONG KONG'S RE-EXPORTS IN 1986. BUT, WHEN COMPARED WITH 1985, RE-EXPORTS TO CHINA DECREASED BY $5 130 MILLION OR 11 PER CENT.

ANALYSED BY COMMODITY, DECREASES WERE RECORDED IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT (BY $2 097 MILLION OR 43 PER CENT); ROAD VEHICLES INCLUDING AIR CUSHION VEHICLES (BY $2 081 MILLION OR 75 PER CENT) AS WELL AS ELETRICAL MACHINERY, APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICAL PARTS THEREOF (BY $1 580 MILLION OR 38 PER CENT).

/HOWEVER,

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