XN000022-1988-10-12 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1988

"IN OUR MODERN, COMPETITIVE

WORLD,

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CANNOT AFFORD TO LAG BEHIND OUR COMPETITORS,

QUALITY IS VITAL. WE HE STRESSED.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT INITIATIVE WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HONG KONG'S FIRST TECHNOLOGY CENTRE, FOR WHICH CONSULTANTS WERE CARRYING OUT A DETAILED FEASIBILITY STUDY.

"IF WE DECIDE TO PROCEED, AS I HOPE WE WILL, THIS CENTRE WILL BECOME THE FOCAL POINT OF OUR EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION IN INDUSTRY, HE SAID.

"IT WILL PROMOTE THE COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION OF NEW IDEAS AND TECHNOLOGIES AND WILL HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNICAL AND RESEARCH FACILITIES.

"IT WILL ALSO HELP то REINFORCE THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND THOSE IN ACADEMIC CIRCLES WHO ARE ENGAGED IN PRACTICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT,"

SIR DAVID STRESSED THAT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY REMAINED A KEY ELEMENT IN HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY, BUT THE TERRITORY FACED STIFF COMPETITION FROM OTHER ECONOMIES WITH LOWER PRODUCTION COSTS AND FROM ESTABLISHED INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES WHERE THERE WAS A STRONG THRUST TOWARDS HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY, BETTER QUALITY AND INNOVATION,

"IN ORDER TO STAY COMPETITIVE, IT IS CLEAR THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS HIGH VALUE-ADDED, TECHNOLOGY BASED, PRODUCTION AND REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE ON THE LABOUR INTENSIVE SECTOR, HE SAID.

REAFFIRMING THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO GIVE A HIGH PRIORITY TO PROVIDING LAND AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INDUSTRY, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS RECOGNISED THAT TRADITIONAL FLATTED FACTORY BUILDINGS WERE NOT ALWAYS SUITED TO THE NEEDS OF THE NEW GENERATION OF MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES.

TO HELP MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS, A THIRD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE WAS PLANNED FOR JUNK BAY, WITH THE FIRST PART OF SITE FORMATION ΤΟ BE COMPLETED IN 1992 AND LAND TO BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE FROM 1993. THE ABOUT 90 HECTARE SITE WOULD INCREASE THE SIZE OF INDUSTRIAL ESTATES BY 50 PER CENT.

SIR DAVID ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MORE LAND WITH WATERFRONT ACCESS WAS NEEDED, AND THERE WAS A STRONG DEMAND FOR THIS, PARTICULARLY FROM CHEMICAL PROCESSING INDUSTRIES. AN AREA IN TUEN MUN WHICH COULD PROVIDE THE RIGHT FACILITIES HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.

SIR DAVID DESCRIBED THE CAPABILITY OF THE WORKFORCE AS ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL FACTORS IN KEEPING UP WITH CHANGE.

"NEW PROGRAMMES