XN000022-1991-05-31 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1991

AND

"SECOND, THIS PROVIDES MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GOVERNMENT TERTIARY INSTITUTES TO WORK TOGETHER AND RESOLVE PROBLEMS MORE COST-EFFECTIVELY BY POOLING RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE.

"FURTHERMORE, IT WILL HELP IMPROVE HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL

IMAGE AS REGARDS CONSERVATION," HE ADDED.

HOWEVER, DR LEE STRESSED THAT THERE WERE STILL HURDLES TO RE OVERCOME BEFORE MARINE PARKS AND MARINE RESERVES COULD MATERIALISE IN HONG KONG.

"APART FROM THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, WE WILL ALSO REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT TO ENABLE US TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGR AND MAINTAIN THE PARKS AND RESERVES."

HE ESTIMATED THAT THE DRAFTING OF NEW LEGISLATION WOULD TAKE 12 TO 18 MONTHS.

DR LEE ADDED THAT THERE WAS ALSO CONSULTATION WHICH WOULD AGAIN TAKE TIME.

THE NEED FOR PUBLIC

SINCERE ABOUT MARINE

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT GOVERNMENT 19 PARKS AND RESERVES AND WE ARE DOING OUR BEST, HE CONCLUDED.

H

IST QUARTER 1991 DOMESTIC EXPORT STATISTICS CLASSIFIED BY INDUSTRIAL ORIGIN

* * *

THE SIX MAJOR INDUSTRY GROUPS WITH THE LARGEST VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1991 WERE WEARING APPAREL, EXCEPT FOOTWEAR; CONSUMER ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS; TEXTILES, INCLUDING KNITTING; MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT, APPARATUS, PARTS AND COMPONENTS; PROFESSIONAL AND OPTICAL EQUIPMENT; AND BASIC METALS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS.

THEY TOGETHER ACCOUNTED FOR 80.8% OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF MERCHANDISE DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1991.

THESE STATISTICS WERE RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES WITH THE LARGEST INCREASES IN THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1991 OVER THE SAME QUARTER OF 1990 WERE : CONSUMER ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS (+$1,001 MILLION}; MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT, APPARATUS, PARTS AND COMPONENTS (+$659 MILLION); WEARING APPAREL, EXCEPT FOOTWEAR (+$492 MILLION); AND TEXTILES INCLUDING KNITTING (+$374 MILLION).

·

IN PERCENTAGE TERMS, MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES WITH THE LARGEST INCREASES IN THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1991 OVER THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1990 WERE : PRODUCTS OF PETROLEUM AND COAL (+19.2%); MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT, APPARATUS, PARTS AND COMPONENTS (+15.4%); CONSUMER ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS (+12.4%); FOOD (+12.1%); AND PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS, PRINTING AND PUBLISHING (+9.9%).

/ON THE