XN000022-1989-09-16 — Page 2

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1989

ECONOMIC GROWTH A KEY FACTOR: SES

THE BEST GUARANTEE FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE LIES IN

NOT WEALTH, TO GENERATE

ONLY FOR OURSELVES BUT FOR SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID.

OUR ABILITY

CHINA,

THE

DOING JUST WHILE THE GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO

THIS. HONG TO MAINTAIN A KONG WOULD ALSO NEED THE HELP OF ITS TRADING PARTNERS

AT FREE FLOW OF TRADE AND TO SUPPORT IT BOTH AT THE PRIVATE LEVEL AND

THE ECONOMIC AND THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL IN THE EXERCISE OF

FINANCIAL AUTONOMY PROMISED TO HONG KONG AND ENSHRINED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, SHE SAID,

THE HONG KONG MRS CHAN WAS SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF

(FRIDAY) ON HONG CANADA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IN VANCOUVER YESTERDAY

ROLE KONG'S

AND A REGIONAL CENTRE FOR TRANSPORTATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS.

AS

"HONG KONG'S STRATEGIC LOCATION ON THE FAR

THE CONTINUES TO BE OF GROWING IMPORTANCE IN DEVELOPING ASIAN PACIFIC BASIN.

BAST TRADE ROUTES

OF CONTEXT

FAST

THE

COMMERCIAL ACTION IS.

INCREASING

AND

POINT

FOR

THE "LET US NOT FORGET: THIS IS WHERE HONG KONG'S POSITION ON THE MAP ENABLES US TO PLAY AN EVER ROLE BOTH IN DEVELOPING ACCESS TO CHINA

AS A FOCAL SOUTHEAST ASIA," SHE SAID.

AFTER BRIEFING THE GATHERING ON HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SITUATION

EVENTS THE JUNE 1

IN

WAS CHINA. MRS CHAN SAID THAT CONFIDENCE

BETTER THAN RETURNING IN HONG KONG AND WE HAD COME OUT OF THE CRISIS MANY EXPECTED.

էէ

'FEEDBACK FROM VARIOUS

SOURCES INDICATES

MOST THAT

OF THE INCLUDING THOSE INVOLVING REGULAR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG, CHINA, HAVE NOW RETURNED TO NORMAL.

"IT WOULD THEREFORE APPEAR

DIFFICULT

PERIOD

RELATIVELY

THAT WE HAVE EMERGED UNSCATHED

IN ALTHOUGH

SOME

FROM THIS QUARTERS

CONFIDENCE REMAINS SHAKEN, SHE SAID.

MRS CHAN NOTED THAT THE MAIN REASON FOR HONG KONG'S HAD UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN THE UNDERLYING STRENGTH OF THE ECONOMY,

RESILIENCE

"OUR ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS THEREFORE REMAIN GOOD," SHE ADDED.

REMAIN STRONG AND OUR

PROSPECTS

"ECONOMIC GROWTH IS THE

ΤΟ KEY

OUR

PROSPERITY FUTURE

AND

STABILITY.

"TO ACHIEVE THIS, IT IS VITAL THAT THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES ENSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE IS PROVIDED.

TO

"PORT, AIRPORT