XN000022-1990-10-06 — Page 2

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1990

AIRPORT PROJECT VITAL FOR OUR FUTURE WELL-BEING * * * * *

IN THE ON-GOING DEBATE ABOUT THE

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT

MAINTAIN TRADING,

PROGRAMME, ONE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE PARAMOUNT NEED TO

AS EDGE

A

INTERNATIONAL MAJOR HONG KONG'S COMPETITIVE FINANCIAL AND SERVICE CENTRE.

THESE ΤΟ

THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN MADE

ON

RELATING ISSUES REMARKS TODAY (SATURDAY) AT A PUBLIC SEMINAR HONG KONG'S NEW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

TO MOVE

"TRADE

WE MUST HAVE THE ABILITY IS

OUR LIFE BLOOD. GOODS AND PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF HONG KONG QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

IN

"WITH AIR TRAVEL SET TO CONTINUE ITS STRONG GROWTH PARTICULARLY THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION AND WITH MORE AND MORE OF OUR GOODS GOING OUR BY AIR, WE NEED TO HAVE AN AIRPORT OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS IF

THE MAJOR ECONOMY IS TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND IF WE ARE TO REMAIN AS CONDUIT FOR TRADE IN SOUTHERN CHINA.

WILL

NEEDS

AND COHESIVE "THE GOVERNMENT HAS PUT TOGETHER AN INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AFTER EXTENSIVE STUDIES, WHICH WE BELIEVE MEET BOTH HONG KONG AND SOUTHERN CHINA'S MEDIUM AND LONGER TERM

SHE SAID. IN THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER,

"

THE

AND THE MAIN

THE THAT

MANY POINTS OF VIEW EXPRESSED ON EMPHASISING

NOTED HAS ADOPTED WOULD BE THE GOVERNMENT WHICH STRATEGY CONSIDERED, MRS CHAN SAID THE TIME FOR USEFUL DISCUSSION ON ELEMENTS OF THE STRATEGY HAS, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, ALREADY PASSED.

SHE

USEFUL DISCUSSION "WE ARE ALREADY IN AN IMPLEMENTATION PHASE. NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE MANY PROBLEMS WE FACE WITH IMPLEMENTATION, SAID.

THE MATTER NOW IN HAND IS HOW, AND NOT STRATEGY SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED, MRS CHAN ADDED.

WHETHER, THE AGREED

FORWARD

ΤΟ

IT IS ONE WHICH WE LOOK 'HOW' IS A VERY BIG QUESTION.

ARE EXPECTED A TEAM OF CHINESE EXPERTS WHO WITH то DISCUSSING ARRIVE IN HONG KONG THIS MONTH, SHE SAID.

CONCERNED

"THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED TO BE KEPT INFORMED AND IS

THE THAT

SAR (SPECIAL ΤΟ BE REASSURED PARTICULARLY

COPE

THE ΤΟ

WITH WILL BE ABLE GOVERNMENT REGION} ADMINISTRATIVE

MRS CHAN SAID. FINANCIAL BURDEN OF SUCH AN ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING,

"I

SHE SAID THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FULLY UNDERSTOOD THIS CONCERN AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO DISCUSSING IT WITH THE CHINESE EXPERTS.

FOLLOWED ALWAYS SHE SAID

GOVERNMENT HAS THE PRUDENT BUDGETARY POLICY AND WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO.

AN

EXTREMELY

/"WE DO