XN000022-1991-09-16 — Page 4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1991

FS VISITS HOUSING DEPT

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, STARTED HIS ROUND OF VISITS TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WITH A VISIT TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON.

MR MACLEOD WAS MET BY THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, MR FUNG TUNG, ON ARRIVAL AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT. HE TOURED VARIOUS SECTIONS INCLUDING THE APPLICATIONS HALL, THE COMPUTER TRAINING CENTRE AND THE DEVELOPMENT SECTION TO SEE AT FIRST HÅND THEIR

OPERATION.

DURING HIS TWO-HOUR STAY AT THE DEPARTMENT, MR MACLEOD BRIEFED BY MR FUNG AND HIS DEPUTIES ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME.

WAS

THE

HONG

DON'T FORGET YOUR NEIGHBOURS, HK REMINDED

KONG

*

SHOULD NOT OVERLOOK ITS ASIAN NEIGHBOURS DEVELOPING NEW MARKETS AND COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR DONALD TSANG, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

RELATIONSHIPS,

SPEAKING ON "NEW FRONTIERS OF TRADE FOR HONG KONG" LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONG EXPORTERS' ASSOCIATION, MR SAID HONG KONG BELONGED TO THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION WHICH HAD NOT ITS LUSTRE AFTER A DECADE OF PHENOMENAL ECONOMIC GROWTH.

IN

THE

At A TSANG LOST

"OUR EXTERNAL TRADE WITH THIS RÉGION STANDS AT 81 PER CENT (EVEN EXCLUDING TRADE WITH COUNTRIES IN NORTH AMERCIA) OF OUR GLOBAL TRADE, AND STILL HAS AMPLE ROOM FOR GROWTH WITHOUT FEAR

RAMPANT SANCTIONS AND BARRIER," HE SAID.

rr

OF

I ALSO BELIEVE THAT CHINA AS AN EXPORT MARKET IS FAR FROM BEING FULLY EXPLOITED BY HONG KONG.

"WE HAVE SO FAR REGARDED THIS BOUNTIFUL HINTERLAND LÅRDÉLY ÁS A MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING CENTRE FOR OUR PRODUCTS то BE EXPORTED OVERSEAS.

"THUS, OUR COMMERCIAL LINKS ARE MOSTLY CONFINED TC GUANGDONG PROVINCE AND SOUTH CHINA, WHERE GOODS MAY BE MORE READILY TRANSPORTED TO HONG KONG FOR RE-EXPORT ELSEWHERE, HE SAID.

+

CHINA BEING AN ENORMOUS MARKET WAS NO LONGER A HOLLOW DREAM, HE SAID. ITS PURCHASING POWER FOR CONSUMER GOODS HÅD TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED AS THE STANDARD OF LIVING IN MANY PROVINCES HAD RISEN RAPIDLY WITH THE OPENING ECONOMY.

"IT WOULD BE IRONIC IF WE COULD NOT TÁP THIS MARKET ÅT OUR DOORSTEP AS THE JAPANESE, TAIWANESE, SINGAPOREANS AND OTHERS MOVING IN DROVES INTO THE NORTHERN PROVINCES." MR TSANG SAID.

ARE

/THIS DID