XN000022-1990-09-11 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1990

PADS FACILITATES ECONOMIC GROWTH

*

*

AIRPORT

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS FULLY COMMITTED TO THE NEW PROJECT AND IS BEGINNING IN EARNEST THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION STAGE, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID IN TORONTO MONDAY (SEPTEMBER 10).

ON

DEVELOPMENT SHOULD THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS FOR PORT AND AIRPORT

SEA AND AIR HELP SECURE HONG KONG'S POSITION AS ONE OF THE MAJOR TRANSPORT HUBS IN THE REGION, TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL, MRS CHAN SAID.

SPEAKING AT A RECEPTION OF THE METRO TORONTO BOARD OF TRADE SHE SAID: "THIS, IN TURN, WILL FACILITATE GROWTH IN THE ECONOMY WHICH WILL BEST GUARANTEE OUR FUTURE.

"

AND AIRPORT

WOULD

BB

SHE POINTED OUT THAT BOTH THE PORT SUPPORTED BY NEW AND EFFICIENT TRANSPORT NETWORKS.

"WORK

NOW HAS

STARTED ON

ALL

THE

TRANSPORT

ENGINEERING FEASIBILITY STUDIES HAVE EITHER COMMENCED OR PLANNED," SHE SAID.

PROJECTS. ARE BEING

INVITE

EARLY NEXT WHICH WOULD

MRS CHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTED TO MONTH INTERNATIONAL BIDS FOR THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING PROBABLY COMPRISE TWO BRIDGES.

BRIDGE ABOUT 1.4 THIS WOULD

"THE FIRST OF THESE WOULD BE A SUSPENSION KILOMETERS, A LITTLE LONGER THAN THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. PROBABLY BE THE LONGEST SINGLE SPAN SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN THE WORLD, MRS CHAN SAID.

WOULD

ALONG

BRIEFING HER AUDIENCE ON THE ROAD LINK, MRS CHAN SAID IT COMPRISE A 12-KILOMETRE, SIX-LANE EXPRESSWAY FROM THE AIKPORT, THE NORTHERN COAST OF LANTAU ISLAND AND, BY A SERIES OF MAJOR BRIDGES, TO WESTERN KOWLOON AND ULTIMATELY TO HONG KONG ISLAND.

A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE ROUTE HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED WORK ON DETAILED DESIGNS WOULD START SOON, SHE ADDED.

AND

WOULD

SHE NOTED THAT THE NEXT STAGE OF THE TRANSPORT PROJECTS BE A DETAILED FINANCIAL ANALYSIS TO ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT DECIDE WHICH PROJECTS SHOULD BE PRIVATISED AND IN WHAT FORM.

"KEEN COMPETITION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS EXPECTED AND I

OF VIABLE TRANSPORT PROJECTS GOOD PACKAGE CONFIDENT THAT A EMERGE," MRS CHAN STRESSED.

AM

WILL

KONG'S

SHE URGED COMPANIES INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN HONG INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS TO COME UP WITH IMAGINATIVE AND COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS.

/"ON THIS