FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1993
14
CHINA AND HK HAVE CLOSE ECONOMIC TIES
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, TODAY (FRIDAY, U.8. TIME) OUTLINED
CHINA THE CLOSE AND IMPORTANT RELATIONS BETWEEN
AND HONG KONG'S ECONOMIES TO A GATHERING OF PROMINENT FINANCIERS AND BUSINESSMEN IN THE UNITED STATES.
CHINA, HE SAID, HAD BEEN THE REASON FOR MUCH OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS IN RECENT YEARS.
MR MACLEOD WAS SPEAKING AT A BREAKFAST MEETING HOSTED MORGAN STANLEY GROUP AND THE ASIA SOCIETY IN NEW YORK.
BY THE
HE SAID CHINA AND HONG KONG WERE NOW EACH OTHER'S LARGEST TRADING PARTNER AND EXTERNAL INVESTOR.
CHINA'S DIRECT INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG AMOUNTS TO OVER US$12 BILLION IN SECTORS INCLUDING REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING, TRADING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, HE SAID.
OF
ON THE OTHER HAND, HONG KONG ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT TWO-THIRDS FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN CHINA AT US$23 BILLION IN PROPERTY, TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, TRANSPORT LINKS AND MANUFACTURING, HE ADDED.
"IN ADDITION TO STRONG LINKS IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT, HONG KONG NOW PLAYS A MAJOR FINANCIAL ROLE IN CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT.
"NINETY PER CENT OF EXTERNALLY SYNDICATED LOANS FOR CHINA ARE ARRANGED IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
"HONG KONG ALSO PROVIDES THE CAPITAL AND EXPERTISE FOR CHINA'S FINANCIAL MARKET.
LISTED THEIR WILL FOLLOW, HE
"FOUR LEADING STATE-OWNED FIRMS IN CHINA HAVE SHARES ON HONG KONG'S STOCK MARKET AND FIVE MORE ADDED.
H
GIVING AN UPDATE ON HONG KONG'S ECONOMY, MR MACLEOD POINTED OUT THAT THE TERRITORY'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT GREW BY 5.3 PER CENT IN 1992 AND WAS ESTIMATED TO GROW BY 5.5 PER CENT THIS YEAR.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE INFLATION RATE HAD BEEN MODERATING, FROM
A HIGH OF 14 PER CENT DOWN TO 9 PER CENT.
MEANWHILE, TOTAL EXPORTS GREW BY 19 PER CENT IN 1992.
НЕ ALSO TOLD THE AUDIENCE THAT GOOD PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME WITH 33 CONTRACTS WORTH US$5.8 BILLION BEING AWARDED SO FAR.
"IN TOTAL, 12 U.S. FIRMS ARE INVOLVED IN VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AND CONSULTANCIES, AT A TOTAL COST OF OVER US$1.26 BILLION," HE SAID.
HOWEVER, HE SAID CHINA'S BLESSING ON FINANCING AND LAND WAS NEEDED SOON.
ON THE LONGER-TERM OUTLOOK, MR MACLEOD WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE STRENGTH OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WOULD CONTINUE.
/IN ADDITION
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