XN000022-1987-12-19 — Page 2

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1987

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GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENT FOR INVESTMENTS

THE GOVERNMENT SEEKS то PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS CONDUCIVE TO INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT BY INVESTING HEAVILY IN MANPOWER TRAINING AND IN THE TERRITORY'S PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY OF THE MOTOROLA ASIA PACIFIC SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS DIVISION.

MR JACOBS SAID THE GOVERNMENT INVESTED IN MANPOWER TRAINING THROUGH ITS EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AND IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH AMBITIOUS PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

AN

"WE AIM TO ENSURE THAT OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SEEKING A SUITABLE OFFSHORE MANUFACTURING BASE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION, WILL SEE HONG KONG AS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN FIND ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR OPERATIONS, HE SAID.

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY NOTED THAT MOTOROLA HAD DEMONSTRATED ITS DEEP COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG BY SUCCESSIVE INVESTMENTS AND ADOPTION OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY, THE COMPANY'S CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY, WAS ALSO SHARED BY OTHER MANUFACTURERS FROM THE UNITED STATES.

"FOR MANY YEARS THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN THE LEADING OVERSEAS INVESTOR IN HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. THE LATEST STATISTICS REVEAL THAT AMERICAN INTERESTS ACCOUNT FOR 41 PER OUR TOTAL OVERSEAS INVESTMENT IN INDUSTRY.

CENT OF

"AT OVER EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS, THE TOTAL VALUE OF AMERICAN INVESTMENTS AT THE END OF 1986 SHOWED AN INCREASE OF 42 PER CENT OVER 1985. OF THE TOTAL, 69 PER CENT WAS IN THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, " MR JACOBS SAID.

"THESE ARE VERY ENCOURAGING FIGURES AND WE HOPE THAT MORE MANUFACTURERS WILL BE ATTRACTED TO HONG KONG BY THE EVIDENT SUCCESS OF PIONEERS LIKE MOTOROLA, HE ADDED.

DURING THE CEREMONY, MR JACOBS ALSO ANNOUNCED A NEW MOTOROLA PROJECT KNOWN AS THE "SILICON HARBOUR" WHICH HE SAID "UNDOUBTEDLY WILL BE A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR HONG KONG'S ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY."

/A 29,000