XN000022-1990-07-27 — Page 9

—

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1990

HK IS BUILDING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

*

POLITICAL INCLUDING

OVER HONG

THE IMMEDIATE TASK FACING HONG KONG IN THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS IS TO STRENGTHEN ITS ECONOMIC FOUNDATION AND TO PUT IN PLACE A AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE THAT MEETS ITS UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES,

SOVEREIGNTY THE REALITY OF CHINA RESUMING THE EXERCISE OF KONG IN 1997.

A

SAID THIS SUCCESSFUL

THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR JOHN CHAN,

KONG/GUANGDONG TODAY (FRIDAY) AT A SEMINAR ON "HONG BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP" IN GUANGZHOU.

STRATEGY

HAD MADE POLITICAL

TO

SPEAKING ON "HONG KONG'S PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT

SAID HONG KONG BUILDING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY", MR CHAN

IMPORTANT BUT SOME DIFFICULT

TO DEVELOP DECISIONS

ITS SYSTEM AND PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, TO IMPROVE ITS ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDE FOR MORE AND BETTER SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.

"THESE PLANS CARRY ON WELL BEYOND 1997 AND TO OUR FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WELL-BEING.

ARE ALL ESSENTIAL

ADVANTAGES

GEOGRAPHICAL WITH OUR "WITH THESE PLANS, COUPLED AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE ENTERPRISE AND FREE TRADE WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HONG KONG WILL REMAIN A BUSINESS CENTRE OF CHOICE WHERE HUMAN INGENUITY AND ENTERPRISE CAN FLOURISH, "HE SAID.

NUMBER OF ON THE AIRPORT, MR CHAN SAID THE KAI TAI AIRPORT HAD GROWN INCESSANTLY IN RECENT YEARS THAN 16 MILLION LAST YEAR.

PASSENGERS USING ΤΟ REACH MORE

AN "EVEN ON THE BASIS OF A CONSERVATIVE FORECAST WHICH ASSUMES

UNABLE TO COPE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OF FIVE PER CENT, KAI TAK WILL BE BEYOND 1996, AND AIR PASSENGER TRAFFIC WILL MORE THAN TRIPLE TO 50 MILLION IN 2011," HE SAID.

ABOUT

MR CHAN SAID THE ECONOMIC DISBENEFITS OF NOT AIRPORT WERE OVERWHELMING - IN CASH TERMS THEY AMOUNTED TO BILLION BETWEEN THE END OF 1996 AND 2010.

PROVIDING A

SOME

NEW $100

"THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN THE COST OF BUILDING A NEW AIRPORT ITS TRANSPORT LINKS, HE SAID.

"

MR AIRPORT,

AND

PORT HAD

LIKE THE

CHAN SAID, HONG KONG'S EXPERIENCED HIGH ANNUAL GROWTH IN UTILISATION IN RECENT YEARS.

19,000 OCEAN-GOING VESSELS AND LAST YEAR OVER RIVER CRAFT USED THE PORT. IN TERMS OF CARGO OVER WERE HANDLED, INCLUDING 4.5 MILLION CONTAINERS.

SOME

85 MILLION

96,000 TONNES

/"AGAIN, EVEN