XN000022-1987-05-07 — Page 5

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1987

FS HAS USEFUL' VISIT TO CHINA

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT HE HAD A USEFUL AND ENJOYABLE VISIT TO CHINA.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS ON HIS RETURN AT THE AIRPORT, MR JACOBS SAID THE VISIT WAS ESSENTIALLY A +FAMILIARISATION ONE AND THAT DISCUSSIONS HAD BEEN GENERAL.

MR JACOBS SAID HE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, MR JI PENGFEI, THE VICE-MINISTER OF THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF FINANCE, MR LI PENG, AND OFFICIALS OF THE BANK OF CHINA, THE PEOPLE'S BANK OF CHINA AS WELL AS THE CHINA INTERNATIONAL TRUST AND INVESTMENT CORPORATION (CITIC).

MR JACOBS SAID HE HAD BRIEFED THEM ON THE ECONOMY OF HONG KONG, THE BUDGET, THE STATE OF PUBLIC FINANCE, AS WELL AS THE LINK OF THE DOLLÁR.

HE ADDED THAT MR JI HAD REITERATED TO HIM MR DENG XIAOPING'S RECENT REMARKS THAT THERE WAS NO REASON NOT TO EXTEND THE 50 YEARS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS IF EVERYTHING WENT WELL IN HONG KONG.

MR JACOBS ALSO SAID VICE-MINISTER LI HAD STRESSED TO HIM THAT CHINA'S OPEN-DOOR POLICY WOULD CONTINUE WHEN HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD EXPRESSED CONCERN ON THE MATTER.

HE EXPECTED THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE CONTACTS SUCH AS HIS VISIT AS BOTH SIDES RECOGNISED THAT THESE CONTACTS WERE USEFUL.

BUTTERFLY BEACH FINALLY CLEANED UP

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TUEN MUN'S BUTTERFLY BEACH, ONCE HEAVILY POLLUTED, HAS AT LAST BEEN CLEANED UP, ACCORDING TO A GOVERNMENT REPORT.

THE REPORT, DETAILING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT'S MONITORING OF SOME 50 OF THE TERRITORY'S POPULAR BEACHES SHOWS THAT ONLY THREE ARE AT PRESENT UNACCEPTABLE FOR SWIMMING.

COMMENTING ON THE FINDINGS, THE HEAD OF EPD'S WATER POLICY GROUP. MR PAUL HOLMES. SAID +BUILDING UP THE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM FOR TUEN MUN, PLUS THE DIVERSION OF STREAM FLOWS WHICH ARE HEAVILY CONTAMINATED BY LIVESTOCK WASTES, HAS TAKEN TIME TO HAVE AN EFFECT BUT WE ARE NOW SEEING THE BENEFITS. THERE IS HOWEVER STILL A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT+.

/CASTLE PEAK