XN000022-1992-07-14 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1992

THAT

"AS A RESULT, THE PROGRAMME HAS RECENTLY BEEN EXPANDED SO THERE WILL BE THREE INWARD AND THREE OUTWARD VISITS EACH YEAR; ALSO, THE DELEGATION SIZE HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM SIX TO EIGHT MEMBERS, MR SZE SAID.

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IN ADDITION, THERE IS A PROGRAMME OF LEGAL STUDY VISITS, WHICH IS DESIGNED ΤΟ ENABLE DELEGATES TO ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH THE RESPECTIVE LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS.

SO FAR, FIVE VISITS HAD TAKEN PLACE, BUT THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO EXPAND IT IN DUE COURSE TO TWO VISITS EACH YEAR.

OFFICERS AND

MR SZE ALSO SAID LAST YEAR THE GOVERNMENT STARTED ORGANISING FAMILIARISATION VISITS TO CHINA FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SELECTED DEPARTMENTAL OFFICERS.

80 FAR, FIVE OF THESE VISITS HAD TAKEN PLACE AND IT WAS INTENDED THAT FOUR VISITS SHOULD TAKE PLACE FACH YEAR.

EXAMPLE, THE

THERE ARE ALSO CONTACTS AT A HIGHER LEVEL. FOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL, MR CHEN ZIYING, VISITED HONG KONG IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR, AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY PAID A VISIT TO BEIJING AROUND THE SAME TIME.

HE ADDED THAT ON TOP OF THE VISIT PROGRAMMES, THERE HAS BEEN REGULAR CONTACT BETWEEN A NUMBER OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BRANCHES AND DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR MAINLAND COUNTERPARTS. THESE CONTACTS ARE USUALLY OF A WORKING AND PROFESSIONAL NATURE.

MR SZE SAID HE WAS ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS OF DEVELOPING CONTACTS BETWEEN CHINESE OFFICIALS BASED IN HONG KONG AND OFFICERS IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

"TRADITIONALLY THE MAIN CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION WITH THESE OFFICIALS HAS BEEN THROUGH THE CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS BRANCH AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER'S OFFICE, BUT I SEE NO REASON WHY THERE SHOULD NOT BE MORE DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN THESE OFFICIALS AND OFFICES IN OTHER BRANCHES OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

H

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WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA ADJUSTED TO AVOID WASTE

ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THE WATER AUTHORITIES IN GUANGDONG TO REDUCE THE WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR IN ORDER TO REDUCE AND HOPEFULLY AVOID WASTE.

THE ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE IN VIEW OF THE SATISFACTORY WATER STORAGE LEVEL IN HONG KONG WHICH TODAY (TUESDAY) STOOD AT 80.2 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL CAPACITY,

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT SAID THE WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA FOR 1992-93 WOULD BE REDUCED FROM 705 MILLION CUBIC METRES (MCM) TO 667 MILLION CUBIC METRES.

/UNDER THE