XN000022-1993-09-02 — Page 9

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1993

THE

GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY

**

GOVERNMENT IS KEEN TO ENSURE THAT INDUSTRY IN HONG GETS THE SUPPORT IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE, THE SECRETARY TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH CHAU, SAID TONIGHT (THURSDAY).

KONG FOR

SPEAKING AT THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY OF THE HONG KONG WOOLLEN AND SYNTHETIC KNITTING MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION, MR CHAU SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS WORKING HARD TO ASSIST MANUFACTURERS TO UPGRADE THEIR OPERATIONS.

"WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE TO ASSIST MANUFACTURERS IN MOVING UP THE VALUE-ADDED LADDER," HE SAID.

"MORE SPECIFIC TO THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY, THERE ARE FUNDS EARMARKED BY VARIOUS TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS FOR TEXTILES AND CLOTHING RESEARCH PROJECTS.

"WE ARE ALSO CONSIDERING A SERIES OF SUPPORT SERVICES RECOMMENDED BY THE CONSULTANTS IN THE RECENTLY COMPLETED TECHNO- ECONOMIC AND MARKET RESEARCH STUDY ON HONG KONG'S TEXTILES AND CLOTHING INDUSTRIES,

HE ADDED.

MR CHAU SAID THE PAST 30 YEARS HAD BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR THE KNITWEAR INDUSTRY.

HONG KONG'S KNITWEAR EXPORTS HAVE INCREASED FROM $432 MILLION IN 1963 TO $34,637 MILLION IN 1992.

THE INDUSTRY NOW ACCOUNTS FOR 15 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TOTAL DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN VALUE TERMS.

IN RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM OF RISING LAND AND LABOUR COSTS IN HONG KONG, MANY LOCAL KNITWEAR MANUFACTURERS HAVE AUTOMATED LABOUR- INTENSIVE PROCESSES TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND ADDED VALUE TO THEIR PRODUCTS THROUGH PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT, MR CHAU NOTED.

IN 1991, WE RECORDED AN IMPORT OF $13 BILLION WORTH OF INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY TO BE USED IN HONG KONG WHICH REPRESENTED A 180 PER CENT INCREASE IN REAL TERMS OVER 1982.

"PRODUCTIVITY IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR HAS RISEN BY AN AVERAGE OF 10 PER CENT A YEAR OVER THE LAST DECADE.

'WE CAN SEE FROM THESE STATISTICS THAT THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, INCLUDING OUR KNITWEAR MANUFACTURERS, HAVE FOUND THE KEY то OVERCOME THE CHALLENGE POSED BY THE 90'S, MR CHAU SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WAS PROVIDED TO ASSIST THE INDUSTRY'S EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY IN THE YEARS TO COME.

ENSURE THAT MAXIMUM SUPPORT

EFFORTS TO IMPROVE

ITS

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