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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1997

CHINA VISITS PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING

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WITH CHINESE

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ESTABLISHED NUMEROUS CONTACTS OFFICIALS, BOTH FOR SPECIAL EXCHANGES ON KEY ISSUES AND FOR PROMOTION OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. PETER TSAO, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY} AFTERNOON.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. MARTIN BARROW, MR TSAO SAID THERE HAD BEEN WELL OVER 100 WORKING VISITS TO CHINA BY HONG KONG OFFICIAL DELEGATIONS LAST YEAR, COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.

"THERE WERE ALSO OVER 75 INWARD VISITS BY CHINESE OFFICIALS OR DELEGATIONS FOR MEETINGS WITH VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN HONG KONG.

SINCE 1988, THE GOVERNMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, HAS BEEN RUNNING A SERIES OF SPONSORED VISITS AND LEGAL STUDY VISITS, MR TSAO ADDED.

"UNDER THESE SCHEMES EACH SIDE ORGANISES AND FINANCES A VISIT LED BY A SENIOR OFFICIAL FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

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"THESE VISITS ARE DESIGNED TO ENABLE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICERS TO OBTAIN A FIRST HAND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHINESE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT; AND FOR VISITING CHINESE OFFICIALS TO ВЕ BRIEFED ON THE SYSTEM IN HONG KONG,' HE SAID.

THE SECRETARY SAID THERE HAD SO FAR BEEN FOUR LEGAL STUDY VISITS AND SIX GENERAL SPONSORED VISITS.

MR TSAO ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THE NEXT GENERAL SPONSORED VISIT UNDER THIS PROGRAMME WHICH HE HOPED TO LEAD IN APRIL, WAS AT AN ADVANCED STAGE OF PREPARATION.

"WE ARE NOW PLANNING A NEW SERIES OF FAMILIARISATION VISITS ΤΟ CHINA FOR OFFICERS AT A LESS SENTOR LEVEL AS PART OF OUR CHINA TRAINING PROGRAMME.

"THE FIRST OF THESE, TO BEIJING MONTH. ARRANGEMENTS FOR ANOTHER VISIT TO ALSO UNDERWAY," HE ADDED.

WILL TAKE PLACE LATER THIS GUANGDONG IN APRIL/MAY ARE

MR TSAO STRESSED THAT THE OBJECT OF THESE VISITS WAS TO PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, AND TO ENHANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICERS, AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND WITH DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE OPERATION OF THE CHINESE

SYSTEM.

IN ADDITION, HE SAID, TWO VISITS ΤΟ BEIJING BY STAFF COURSE HAD BEEN ARRANGED SINCE 1988 AS PART OF OVERSEAS COMPONENT OF THE COURSE.

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