XN000022-1989-04-07 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1989

"HONG KONG HAS ENJOYED THIS AUTONOMY FOR DECADES, I KNOW CHINA UNDERSTANDS THAT. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE THAT THIS PRINCIPLE BE LAID DOWN CLEARLY IN THE BASIC LAW, HE ADDED.

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT CONTINUING INVESTMENTS SHOULD BE MADE IN INFRASTRUCTURAL FACILITIES WITH A VISION FOR LONG-TERM ECONOMIC FUTURE, AND THAT THE EDUCATION SYSTEM MUST BE GEARED TOWARDS BI-LINGUAL TRAINING.

"OUR EMERGING ROLE AS A TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICE CENTRE FOR CHINA IS GOING TO DEMAND AN INCREASING NUMBER OF WELL-TRAINED PROFESSIONALS OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD, SIR DAVID SAID.

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"WE MUST ALSO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A FLEXIBLE AND REASONABLE

BUSINESSMEN IMMIGRATION POLICY TO ENABLE OVERSEAS

TO VISIT AND TO WORK HERE WITHOUT UNDUE RESTRICTIONS.

"EXPATRIATES SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE WELCOMED TO STAY AND WORK IN HONG KONG. THEY HAVE MADE AN INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION ΤΟ HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT OVER THE YEARS BY BRINGING WITH THEM THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AND OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE, HE ADDED.

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ON GOVERNMENT'S RECENT DECISION TO RELAX THE CRITERIA FOR THE IMPORTATION OF SKILLED LABOUR. SIR DAVID EMPHASISED THAT THE RELAXATION IN THE APPLICATION OF LABOUR IMPORTATION POLICY IN NO WAY AFFECTED GOVERNMENT'S SUSTAINED EFFORTS TO PREVENT PEOPLE ENTERING HONG KONG ILLEGALLY.

"WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF TAKING A LESS SERIOUS VIEW OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, SIR DAVID STRESSED.

HE REITERATED THAT THE DECISION MUST NOT BE TAKEN AS A DEPARTURE FROM OUR PRESENT POLICY AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT FREE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE LABOUR MARKET WAS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM.

"ANY BROAD-BRUSHED POLICIES AIMED AT LARGE-SCALE OF IMPORTATION OF UNSKILLED LABOUR WOULD AMOUNT TO ARBITRARY INTERFERENCE IN OUR LABOUR MARKET.

"IT COULD INCREASE THE

FROM THE ILL-EFFECTS OF SUCH

LIKELIHOOD OF THE ECONOMY SUFFERING MASS IMMIGRATION WITHOUT NECESSARILY RAISING THE GROWTH RATE IN GDP PER HEAD, WHICH IS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SEEKS RATHER THAN THE GROWTH OF GDP ALONE, SIR DAVID SAID.

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