XN000022-1992-09-25 — Page 3

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1992

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ARTS CENTRE PLAYS PIONEERING ROLE IN HONG KONG CULTURE

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DEVELOPMENT

THE HONG KONG ARTS CENTRE HAS PLAYED A PIONEERING ROLE IN THE CULTURE IN THE TERRITORY, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) AT ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CEREMONY.

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SIR DAVID NOTED THAT SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED, IT HAD THAN FULFILLED ITS MISSION AS "A WORKSHOP, A MEETING PLACE, A PLACE OF

WORK AND PRACTICE, A PLACE OF WHICH ARTISTS CAN LOOK FOR ADVICE, FACILITIES AND COMPANIONSHIP, AND WHERE THE PUBLIC TOO CAN SEE WHAT THE ARTS HAVE TO OFFER TILEM", AS MENTIONED BY THE THEN GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE.

"OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, THE ARTS CENTRE HAS MORE THAN FULFILLED THESE AIMS, NURTURING THE TALENTS OF MANY HONG KONG ARTISTS AND WIDENING THE CAPACITY OF HONG KONG PEOPLE TO ENJOY AND APPRECIATE THEIR ARTISTIC WORK, HE SAID.

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HE ADDED THAT THE ARTS CENTRE WAS STILL GOING STRONG ALTHOUGH HONG KONG HAD COME A LONG WAY IN NURTURING AND DEVELOPING THE ARTS SINCE 1977.

THE

THE

* IT IS STILL TREASURED BY ART LOVERS AND PATRONS AS A PLACE THAT PROVIDES THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT, THE PROPER FACILITIES AND MOST CONGENIAL COMPANIONSHIP TO EXPLORE, DEVELOP AND NURTURE ARTS," HE ADDED.

GOVERNMENT EXPRESSES GRAVE CONCERN OVER INCURSION

THE

HAS

ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR IAN STRACHAN, CONFIRMED THAT THE POLITICAL ADVISER CALLED IN THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY TO EXPRESS OUR GRAVE CONCERN OVER AN INCURSION WHICH TOOK PLACE IN HONG KONG WATERS EARLIER TODAY (FRIDAY) AND THE SUBSEQUENT DANGEROUS BEHAVIOUR OF THE CHINESE OFFICERS INVOLVED.

AT 1323 HOURS TODAY THE POLICE RECEIVED A REPORT THAT A FISHING VESSEL INSIDE HONG KONG WATERS HAD BEEN BOARDED BY A NUMBER OF PRC OFFICIALS. THE CREW SAID THAT THEIR FISHING VESSEL HAD BEEN STOPPED BY CHINESE SECURITY FORCES' VESSEL GUNG BIN 1207 FROM ZHU HOI, WHICH PUT A NUMBER OF OFFICERS ONTO THE VESSEL. THE SECURITY VESSEL LEFT THE SCENE BEFORE MARINE POLICE ARRIVED.

WHEN TWO POLICE VESSELS ARRIVED AT 1415 HOURS THEY DISCOVERED THREE ARMED PRO OFFICIALS ON BOARD THE FISHING VESSEL. POLICE OFFICERS TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS AT THE SCENE WERE THREATENED BY THE PRC OFFICIALS AND FORCED TO HAND OVER THE CAMERA. THE FILM WAS REMOVED AND THE CAMERA RETURNED TO THE POLICE.

SUBSEQUENTLY

/THE INCIDENT

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