XN000022-1990-04-21 — Page 2

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SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1990

CLEAR UNDERSTANDING IN JAPAN OF HK'S IMPORTANCE -

—

SIR DAVID FORD

IS A

UNDERSTANDING IN

JAPAN

KONG'S THE

OF HONG THERE

CLEAR IMPORTANCE NOT ONLY IN THE REGION BUT ALSO AS A GATEWAY TO CHINA, CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY) ON HIS FROM A SIX-DAY VISIT TO JAPAN.

RETURN

SIR DAVID TO SEE JAPANESE BY AN INCREASING POLITICIANS AND CONTINUING

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT THIS EVENING, SAID THAT HE HAD NO DOUBT THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE INTERESTS IN HONG KONG WHICH WOULD BE MANIFESTED NUMBER OF OFFICIAL VISITS, VISITS FROM INVESTMENT.

-

DESCRIBING THE VISIT AS A VERY STIMULATING WEEK, SIR DAVID SAID THE MINISTRIES HE HAD MET OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS FROM THREE

CONSTRUCTION AND THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, THE MINISTRY OF MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY.

PEOPLE OVER INTERESTED IN ABOUT ITS

"I HAVE ALSO HAD MEETINGS WITH ABOUT 200 BUSINESS THE COURSE OF THE WEEK. EVERYONE I MET WAS EXTREMELY HONG KONG, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT IT AND VERY POSITIVE FUTURE, HE SAID.

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BUILT THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAD VISITED THE KANSAL AIRPORT BEING

HE SAID IT WAS IN OSAKA AND THE HONSHU-SHIKOKU BRIDGES IN OKAYAMA.

THESE NEW PROJECTS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US IN HONG KONG TO SEE HOW

WHICH WERE BEING MANAGED AND FINANCED AND THE TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS WERE TAKING PLACE ON THOSE PROJECTS.

LOT WHICH I WILL

BE

WITH DISCUSSING "I

A HAVE LEARNT COLLEAGUES OVER OUR OWN PROJECTS FOR THE PORT AND AIRPORT".

ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF JAPANESE

DAVID SAID ΤΟ HONG PASSPORT

KONG PEOPLE, SIR GOVERNMENT HAD MADE AN APPROACH TO THE JAPANESE UNDERSTOOD IT WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION.

"IT

+

MY

GOVERNMENT

THAT GOVERNMENT

THE

GRANTING BRITISH AND

HE

THE

JAPANESE IS ALSO CLEAR TO ME FOLLOWING MY VISIT THAT

FOR VERY

THE LAW

JAPANESE DIFFICULT NATIONALITY

WILL MAKE IT

FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ΤΟ RESPOND POSITIVELY TO THAT REQUEST GOVERNMENT.

OUT VERY

"BUT

AS THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAD POINTED CLEARLY THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN, AND INDERD ARE HELPING HONG KONG, BY POSITIVELY INCREASING THEIR INVESTMENT AND CONTINUING TO SUPPORT IT IN OTHER WAYS. HE SAID.

THEY HERE

OF

REPLYING TO ANOTHER QUESTION ON CHINA'S REACTION TO PASSING

DAVID SAID HE THE NATIONALITY BILL BY THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT, SIR HOPED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATION FOR THIS MOVE WAS PURELY TO DEAL WITH THE PRACTICAL LEAVING HONG KONG AND NOTHING MORE.

PROBLEM OF PEOPLE

/HE SAID