XN000022-1991-09-06 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1991

CHIEF SECRETARY TO VISIT JAPAN FOR AIRPORT TALKS

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TOKYO ON

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, WILL FLY TO MONDAY (SEPTEMBER 9) AS THE HEAD OF A HONG KONG DELEGATION TO BRIEF JAPANESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, FINANCIERS AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LEADERS ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT AT CHEK LAP KOK.

HE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY, MR RICHARD ALLEN, ASSISTANT FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR STEPHEN SELBY.

OFFICER OF THE AND PRINCIPAL

Å GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT WAS to FAMILIARISE JAPANESE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE BANKING COMMUNITY IN TOKYO WITH THE BACKGROUND TO THE SIGNING OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE NEW AIRPORT.

"WE ARE KEEN TO ENSURE THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING IN JAPAN THAT THE MEMORANDUM, SIGNED IN PEKİNG THIS WEEK, PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT ASSURANCE TO POTENTIAL INVESTORS IN THE PROJECT.

"WE WILL ALSO BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRPORT CORE PROJECTS."

THE MAIN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT 18 A LUNCHEON HOSTED BY THE JAPAN/HONG KONG SOCIETY AT WHICH SIR DAVID WILL DELIVER A SPEECH ΤΟ AN AUDIENCE OF 100 JAPANESE BUSINESSMEN.

DURING THE VISIT, SIR DAVID WILL HOLD A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH HIGH-RANKING EXECUTIVES OF MORE THAN 50 JAPANESE BANKS AND FINANCIAL AGENCIES. HE WILL ALSO MBET EXECUTIVES OF CONSTRUCTION FIRMS WHICH HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE AIRPORT AND ITS 10 CORE PROJECTS.

SIR DAVID WILL CALL ON THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MA TARO NAGAYAMA, AND WILL BE THE GUEST AT A DINNER HOSTED

HOSTED BY the DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE ASIAN AFFAIRS BUREAU IN THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MR SAKUTARO TANINO.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSIDERING ARRANGING SIMILAR BRIEFINGS IN OTHER WORLD FINANCIAL CENTRES DURING THE COMING YEAR.

SIR DAVID WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON SATURDAY

AFTERNOON.

(SEPTEMBER 14)

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