XN000022-1992-10-20 — Page 5

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1992

FIVE

IN VEHICLE

"IT IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT THE SCHEME IN ITS FIRST MONTHS

OPERATION RESULTED IN A $4.7 MILLION SAVING MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURE BY CLIENT DEPARTMENTS.

OF

"IT IS PLANNED TO EXTEND THE CHARGING POLICY INTO OTHER WITH FURTHER EMSD FUNCTIONS PROGRAMMED FOR A MORE COMMERCIAL AS FROM NEXT APRIL," MR BLAKE SAID.

AREAS, APPROACH

MR BLAKE ALSO DISCLOSED THAT MANAGEMENT REVIEWS FOR WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT AND CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT WILL START IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

A BOOMING HK WILL CONTINUE BEYOND 1997

* *

WITH LESS THAN FIVE YEARS REMAINING UNTIL ITS REVERSION TO CHINA, HONG KONG IS THRIVING ON A BOOMING ECONOMY AND FIRM GUARANTEES THAT THE KEYS TO ITS SUCCESS WILL CONTINUE UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGHTY, THE ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SAID IN OTTAWA TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT A BUSINESS SEMINAR LUNCHBON IN THE CANADIAN CAPITAL, MR WIGGHAM SAID THE FULL EXTENT OF THE AUTONOMY WHICH HONG KONG WOULD ENJOY AFTER 1997 WAS NOT ALWAYS FULLY APPRECIATED.

F

THE JOINT DECLARATION IS "AN EXTRAORDINARY AGREEMENT, BOTH IN ITS BREADTH OF VISION AND IN ITS DETAIL, MR WIGGHAM TOLD AN AUDIENCE OF BUSINESSMEN AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS,

"BY PROVIDING HONG KONG WITH COMPREHENSIVE GUARANTEES THAT THE FEATURES WHICH HAVE LED TO ITS SUCCESS WILL CONTINUE UNCHANGED UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGHTY, IT WILL BRING INTO REALITY DENG XIAOPING'S CONCEPT OF 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEM.

HE SAID.

FURTHERMORE, THESE AND OTHER REFLECTED IN THE BASIC LAW.

GUARANTEES HAD ALSO BEEN

HONG KONG IN ITS PRESENT FORM WAS FAR TOO IMPORTANT AND TO CHINA'S CONTINUING DRIVE TOWARDS MODERNISATION TO CHANGE WHICH COULD HAVE A DAMAGING EFFECT.

CONCEDING THAT "IT WAS ALWAYS INEVITABLE THAT THERE SOME DISAGREEMENTS" BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA OVER WHAT WAS HONG KONG DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD, HE CAUTIONED AGAINST OVER-EMPHASISING THESE DIFFERENCES.

TO CHINA RISK ANY

WOULD BE BEST FOR OBSERVERS

"TO FOCUS ON AREAS WHERE WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE IS TO OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HAD A CLOSE AND FRUITFUL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHINESE ON IMPLEMENTING THE JOINT DECLARATION FOR SEVEN YEARS, DURING WHICH TIME MANY AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN REACHED.

SIGNIFICANT

"OF COURSE,