XN000022-1993-05-20 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1993

IN 1992/93, $3.5 MILLION WAS SPENT ON DESILTING WORKS INVOLVING THE REMOVAL OF SOME 42,000 CUBIC METRES OF SILT.

IS

HOWEVER, GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT TO CARRY OUT THIS KIND OF WORK OFTEN FRUSTRATED BY THE PROBLEM OF GAINING ACCESS TO RIVERS THROUGH PRIVATE LAND.

TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM, A LAND ORDINANCE BILL IS BEING DRAFTED TO EMPOWER GOVERNMENT TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE MAIN RIVERS TO CARRY OUT MAINTENANCE.

A BILL IS EXPECTED ΤΟ BE INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL WITHIN THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE YEAR.

LEGISLATIVE

TRADE ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE POLITICISED: STI

TRADE ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE POLITICISED AND MOST FAVOURED NATION (MFN) STATUS IS THE WRONG TOOL TO ACHIEVE OTHER POLICY OBJECTIVES, HOWEVER MERITORIOUS, SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH CHAU, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE DALLAS COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES, MR CHAU SAID MFN WAS, AFTER ALL, THE NORMAL FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND NOT A PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT.

MR CHAU POINTED OUT THAT IN CHINA, IT WOULD BE THE WHICH WAS IN THE VANGUARD OF REFORM, OF OPENING UP TO THE WORLD WHICH WOULD BE HARDEST HIT IF MEN WAS WITHDRAWN.

"WE BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE

IN THE CONDITION

SOUTH

OUTSIDE

TO STOP OR CHINA,"

REVERSE THE PROGRESS OF CHINA'S ECONOMIC REFORM OR TO ISOLATE HE SAID.

MR CHAU SAID HONG KONG WOULD STAND TO LOSE A SIZEABLE CHUNK OF RE-EXPORT TRADE IF CHINA LOST MFN, AS 70 PER CENT OF CHINA'S EXPORTS TO THE U.S. WERE ROUTED THROUGH HONG KONG.

"AND OUR MANUFACTURING INVESTMENTS IN CHINA, MANY OF WHICH ARE PRODUCING FOR THE U.S. MARKET, WOULD BE HARD-HIT.

"THERE WOULD BE KNOCK-ON EFFECTS ON OTHER PARTS OF OUR ECONOMY AND BUSINESS CONFIDENCE GENERALLY WOULD BE BADLY AFFECTED," HE ADDED.

AND U.S. BUSINESS INTERESTS WOULD SUFFER TOO, MR CHAU SAID,

"THOSE IN HONG KONG AND CHINA WOULD BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED IN THE

SAME WAY AS LOCAL HONG KONG COMPANIES.

"MOREOVER, BUSINESSES IN THE U.S. ITSELF WOULD ALSO BE HURT CHINA RETALIATED AND CUT BACK ON U.S.

IF

IMPORTS.

"U.S. EXPORTS