XN000022-1987-10-07 — Page 16

+

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1987

GOVERNOR OUTLINES PLANS IN FIRST POLICY ADDRESS

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) OUTLINED THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE WITH AN APPROACH GEARED TO MAKING HONG KONG'S SOCIETY EVEN MORE COHESIVE AND ECONOMICALLY EFFECTIVE.

IN HIS FIRST POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT HE COMMITTED HIMSELF AND THE GOVERNMENT ΤΟ DEVELOPING HONG KONG "AS A SOCIETY WHICH COMBINES A STRONG, EXPANDING AND COMPETITIVE ECONOMY WITH CONCERN FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL ITS INHABITANTS".

HE SAID THAT HONG KONG NEEDED TO CONSOLIDATE THE GAINS OF THE PAST AND ΤΟ BUILD ON THEM TO ACHIEVE THE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO SEE.

||

'THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL IS CONSTANTLY TO LOOK AHEAD, AND FACE UP TO, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE AND TO MAKE SENSIBLE PLANS TO DEAL WITH THEM, HE ADDED.

**

IN HIS 83-PAGE SPEECH, THE GOVERNOR BEGAN BY REVIEWING HONG KONG'S RELATIONS WITH CHINA, WHICH HE SAID WERE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP IN EVERY FIELD.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE RELATIONSHIP WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THERE SHOULD BE NO DOUBT ABOUT THE DETERMINATION OF BOTH SIDE TO IMPLEMENT THIS FULLY. HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND LAND COMMISSION WOULD CONTINUE TO PLAY EFFECTIVE AND POSITIVE ROLES IN THIS.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC LINKS WITH CHINA CONTINUED TO GROW. CHINA REMAINED HONG KONG'S LARGEST TRADING PARTNER, AND WE WERE NOW THE BIGGEST SINGLE MARKET FOR CHINESE EXPORTS.

THE GOVERNOR THEN REVIEWED LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

THE HEALTHY ECONOMY, ON PRESENT FORECASTS, WOULD HAVE GROWN ALMOST 25 PER CENT IN REAL TERMS IN 1986 AND 1987.

BY

AVERAGE WAGES HAD RISEN BY MORE THAN 12 PER CENT IN THE PAST YEAR, AND UNEMPLOYMENT WAS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT.

/SIR DAVID