XN000022-1993-06-09 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1993

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HONG KONG'S COMPLETE EXPOSURE TO INTERNATIONAL MARKET FORCES MEANS THAT OUR INDUSTRIALISTS MUST REMAIN ACCUTELY ATTUNED TO THE DEMANDS OF THOSE MARKETS IF OUR PRODUCTS ARE TO SELL. GOVERNMENT, THE ITDC, THE TRAINING ORGANISATIONS, RESEARCHERS PROVIDE LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE, TRAINED MANPOWER AND NEW IDEAS, BUT THIS SIMPLY PROVIDES PART OF THE FIELD ON WHICH INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSMEN AND INVESTORS MUST OPERATE. IF WE TRY TO BECOME PLAYERS OURSELVES, OR DIRECT HOW THE REAL PLAYERS SHOULD ACT, WE FORGET OUR OWN ROLE AND DISTORT THE GAME IN WAYS THAT CAN ONLY BE TO HONG KONG'S DISADVANTAGE. ANY INDUSTRY THAT RELIES ON GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IS AN UNHEALTHY

ONE, ONE THAT IS MORE LIKELY TO BE A BURDEN TO THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF A CREATOR OF WEALTH AND SECURE EMPLOYMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. ANY INDUSTRIALIST OR ENTREPRENEUR WHO NEEDS TO LOOK TO GOVERNMENT FOR DIRECTION IS OBVIOUSLY IN THE WRONG BUSINESS.

RAISE THESE POINTS NOT TO CRITICISE THE MOTION BUT TO EMPHASISE THE NEED FOR US TO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THE TERMS WE USE, SO THAT WE CAN COME TO A SHARED UNDERSTANDING. THIS IS NEEDED IF WE ARE TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.

[ DO WANT TO LOOK FORWARD WITH YOU NOW. HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY HAS RESPONDED QUICKLY AND SUCCESSFULLY TO CHANGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LAST DECADE, JUST AS IT DID IN ALL THE EARLIER POST-WAR YEARS OF OUR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. I HAVE MENTIONED THE TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCTIVITY THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN. THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE CONTINUING IN AUTOMATION HOLD OUT THE PROSPECT OF FURTHER INCREASES IN PRODUCTIVITY IN YEARS TO COME. PERHAPS OF EVEN GREATER SIGNIFICANCE FOR OUR FUTURE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN THE GROWTH OF HONG RONG'S OWN CAPACITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IS AN AREA THAT OUR INDUSTRY HAS LONG NEGLECTED, LOOKING FOR QUICK RETURNS USING EXISTING IDEAS AND PRODUCTS. OUR UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS ARE PROVIDING A LARGE POOL OF TRAINED, TALENTED PEOPLE WHO CAN PRODUCE IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS THAT CAN BENEFIT INDUSTRY. THIS POTENTIAL NEEDS TO BE PUT TO GOOD USE. ALREADY THE UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS ARE FORMING THEIR OWN ENTERPRISE UNITS TO PATENT AND COMMERCIALISE INNOVATIONS. THE APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUND AND THE INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY CENTRE ARE RECENT INITIATIVES THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN TO ENCOURAGE THIS PROCESS. THE INITIAL STUDY ON A SCIENCE PARK HAS COME UP WITH A NUMBER OF HELPFUL IDEAS AS TO HOW HONG KONG'S INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE PROMOTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CAN BE IMPROVED. THESE WILL BE TAKEN FORWARD.

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THE LTD IS WELL FITTED TO HELP WITH THIS WORK. ITS TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE AND ITS TECHNOLOGY REVIEW BOARD HIGHLIGHT NEW POSSIBILITIES. GOVERNMENT POLICY MAKERS AND PLANNERS ARE PRESENT IN THESE MEETINGS.

AND THE NEW FUNDING THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR INDUSTRY SUPPORT I WISH TO EMPHASISE AGAIN THAT IT WILL BE NEW MONEY, MADE AVAILABLE FROM WITHIN THE BUDGET. THE NEW MONEY WILL HELP GOVERNMENT, ON THE ITDC'S ADVICE, TO RESPOND MORE EFFECTIVELY IN PROVIDING THE SUPPORT THAT INDUSTRY WILL NEED TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVELY INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.

/I LOOK