XN000022-1989-10-04 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1989

HK MUST KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS

HONG KONG HAS TO BE RIGHT UP ΤΟ DATE WITH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORLD IF THE TERRITORY IS TO RETAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE OVER ITS NEIGHBOURS IN THE REGION AS A MAJOR CENTRE OF FINANCE AND TRADE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

OF

SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS IN HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR SAID AS AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CITY HONG KONG REMAINED ABSOLUTELY DEPENDENT OF FIRST RATE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS.

"ABOVE ALL WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SWIFT AND EFFICIENT INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION LINKS WITH OUR MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS, HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID SAID THAT TWO DECADES AGO WHEN CABLE AND WIRELESS ESTABLISHED THE TERRITORY'S FIRST SATELLITE EARTH STATION AT STANLEY, THE STATION REPRESENTED SOME OF THE MOST MODERN INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY OF ITS TIME.

11

"THE STATION GAVE HONG KONG FOR THE FIRST TIME A DIRECT VISUAL LINK WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD FAR BEYOND ITS SHORES, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE TERRITORY'S ABILITY TO HANDLE INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE, TELEGRAPH AND TELEX TRAFFIC WAS GREATLY INCREASED.

SIR DAVID PRAISED CABLE AND WIRELESS FOR BRINGING HONG KONG INTO THE ERA OF INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE TELECOMMUNICATIONS 20 YEARS AGO.

HE SAID THAT THE COMPANY SINCE THEN HAD MET HONG KONG'S INCREASING NEEDS FOR NEW AND IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS WITH ITS NEIGHBOURS AND A GOOD EXAMPLE WAS THE NEW OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE LINK WITH GUANGDONG.

"WHEN THE THEN GOVERNOR SIR DAVID TRENCH INAUGURATED THE FIRST EARTH STATION IN 1969. HE PRAISED CABLE AND WIRELESS FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE PROSPERITY.

"I DO SO AGAIN TODAY: AND LOOK FORWARD TO A TIME IN THE YEARS TO COME WHEN A FUTURE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WILL SPEAK OF THE SAME CONFIDENT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CABLE AND WIRELESS AND THE HONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, THE GOVERNOR CONCLUDED.

KONG

/2