XN000022-1990-11-27 — Page 2

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GOVERNOR VISITING JAPAN TO ATTRACT MORE INVESTMENT

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT HIS TRIP TO JAPAN IS PART OF A STEADY PROCESS OVER THE YEARS ΤΟ ENCOURAGE THE JAPANESE TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT BEFORE DEPARTING FOR TOKYO WITH A TRADE DELEGATION, SIR DAVID SAID JAPAN WAS A VERY IMPORTANT TRADING PARTNER FOR HONG KONG AND ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT INVESTOR IN THE TERRITORY.

"SO IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A HIGH-POWERED DELEGATION GOING TO JAPAN NOW IN ORDER TO HELP BUILD UP OUR ECONOMIC CONTACTS," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT THIS WAS NOT A ONE-OFF BUSINESS: "IT IS A STEADY PROCESS OVER THE YEARS OF BUILDING UP OUR TRADING RELATIONSHIP WITH JAPAN, ENCOURAGING JAPAN ΤΟ CONTINUE WITH IT'S INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG."

"OVER THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS, WE HAVE BEEN IMPROVING OUR POSITION AND GETTING ACROSS THE MESSAGE THAT HONG KONG IS A GOOD SOURCE OF HIGH QUALITY GOODS, FOR JEWELLERY AND FASHION GOODS IN PARTICULAR.

STEADILY

IN JAPAN INSTANCE,

"IN THE FASHION GOODS CONTEXT, I AM GOING TO PUT ACROSS THIS IDEA THAT HONG KONG IS NOW ONE OF THE LEADING FASHION DESIGNERS IN EAST ASIA, HE SAID.

WHILE IN JAPAN, SIR DAVID SAID HE WILL MEET A LARGE VERY SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT INCLUDING MINISTER, THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF A BUSINESS ORGANISATION,

NUMBER OF THE PRIME GOVERNMENT

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REFERRING TO HIS TRIP TO LONDON NEXT WEEK, SIR DAVID SAID HAD BEEN PLANNED FOR A LONG TIME ΤΟ GO ΤΟ THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ANNUAL DINNER AND ΤΟ LEAD OFF IN A SEMINAR FOR BRITISH

BUSINESSMEN,

"WHO I WILL BE SEEING IN LONDON WILL DEPEND ON THE RESULTS OF CERTAIN ELECTIONS WHICH ARE GOING ON IN LONDON THIS WEEK, HE SAID.

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IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON REPORTS THAT SOME VIETNAMESE WOULD BE TORTURED AFTER BEING SENT BACK TO VIETNAM, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE HAD HEARD THAT PEOPLE WERE SPREADING RUMOURS.

"I WOULD SIMPLY SAY ON THAT: THAT IS THE MOST UNSCRUPULOUS THING YOU COULD POSSIBLY DO BECAUSE IT IS SIMPLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STAY HERE WHERE THEY REMAIN IN CAMP FOR YEAR AFTER YEAR. IT IS CYNICAL AND IT IS NOT AT ALL HELPFUL TO THE VIETNAMESE THEMSELVES," HE SAID.

/CONCERNING THE