XN000022-1993-09-01 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1993

HONG KONG SUCCESSFUL IN JEWELLERY TRADE

HONG KONG OWES ITS LEADING POSITION IN THE JEWELLERY TRADE ΤΟ BOTH ITS ENTERPRISING BUSINESSMEN AND ITS QUALITY WORKFORCE, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 1993 HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY SHOW, MR LEUNG SAID A KEY REASON WHY HONG KONG

IN

THE EXPORT OF FINE JEWELLERY WAS THAT DESIGN WAS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY,

LED

"HONG KONG'S JEWELLERY DESIGN HAS IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY THE PAST DECADE, HE SAID.

OVER

"TODAY, THE HIGH STANDARD OF THE TERRITORY'S DESIGN ACKNOWLEDGED WORLDWIDE, HE ADDED.

IS

"HONG KONG EMPLOYERS AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS HAVE PLAYED A KEY IN FOSTERING THE TALENT OF OUR NEW GENERATION OF JEWELLERY DESIGNERS."

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MR LEUNG NOTED THAT VARIOUS TRADE ASSOCIATIONS ORGANISED INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS REGULARLY TO STIMULATE AND PROMOTE ORIGINALITY.

"HONG KONG'S DESIGNERS HAVE DONE VERY WELL COMPETITIONS, HE ADDED.

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IN THESE

"FOR EXAMPLE, IN LAST YEAR'S DIAMOND DESIGN COMPETITION, THE LEADING JEWELLERY DESIGN CONTEST IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ORGANISED BY THE DIAMOND IMPORTERS ASSOCIATION, 13 OF THE 19 WINNERS WERE FROM HONG KONG," THE SECRETARY SAID.

HE ATTRIBUTED HONG KONG'S SUCCESS TO THE FORESIGHT OF THE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL AS TO THE EAGERNESS OF HONG KONG'S DESIGNERS AND CRAFTSMEN TO STRENGTHEN THEIR SKILLS.

MR LEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THE QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE THROUGH EDUCATION AND TRAINING WAS A STRONG DRIVING FORCE FOR HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS.

HE NOTED THAT JEWELLERY WAS ONE OF HONG KONG'S MAJOR AMOUNTING IN VALUE TERMS TO $5 BILLION LAST YEAR.

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EXPORTS,

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HONG KONG IS THE WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST EXPORTER OF PRECIOUS METAL JEWELLERY AND THE FOURTH LARGEST IMPORTER OF LOOSE DIAMONDS, MR LEUNG ADDED.

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