XN000022-1994-01-11 — Page 19

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1994

"MY SECOND POINT IS THAT WE SHOULD SATISFY OURSELVES, AND I EMBRACE HERE BOTH BUREAUCRATS AND BUSINESSMEN, THAT THE RULES WE AMEND OR DEVISE AFRESH ARE RELEVANT IN A GLOBALISED ECONOMY.

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"MY THIRD POINT FOLLOWS FROM THE SECOND AND IS A PLEA FOR SIMPLICITY IN TRADE REGULATION AND AGAINST THE TENDENCY TOWARDS TECHNICAL COMPLEXITY. FOR TECHNICAL COMPLEXITY IS LITTLE MORE THAN MANAGED TRADE IN DISGUISE."

MR MILLER MENTIONED ANTI-DUMPING AS A TRADE INSTRUMENT WHICH HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AND DECREASINGLY RELEVANT IN A WORLD IN WHICH MANUFACTURERS SOURCED, PRODUCED AND SOLD ON A GLOBAL BASIS.

"WHEN WE COME TO LOOK AT THE ISSUES ON THE COMPETITION POLICY AGENDA IN THE GATT, OR LATER THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION, OR APEC OR OTHER FORA, WE MUST BE SURE THAT THIS IS A FRESH LOOK AND NOT ONE BLINKERED BY OLD WAYS OF THINKING QR THE VESTED INTEREST OF EITHER TRADE BUREAUCRACIES OR SACRED INDUSTRIAL COWS.

H

MR MILLER CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT, IN HONG KONG'S VIEW, THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE REGIME UNDER THE GATT HAD SUCCEEDED BRILLIANTLY BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN LARGELY TRUE TO ITS MOST FAVOURED NATION NON- DISCRIMINATION PRINCIPLE.

REFERRING TO A FINNISH DESIGNER RENOWNED FOR CLEAN FUNCTIONAL LINES, HE SAID:

"THERE IS A SIMPLICITY AND ELEGANCE ABOUT THAT PRINCIPLE WHICH ALVAR AALTO WOULD APPRECIATE. THERE IS A FUSSINESS ABOUT MUCH SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPT AT EMBELLISHMENT WHICH HE WOULD FIND REPUGNANT.

KOWLOON WALLED CITY PARK DESIGN EXHIBITION LAUNCHED

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A MINI CHINESE GARDEN WAS PUT UP AT THE HONG KONG CULTURAL CENTRE TODAY (TUESDAY) TO DISPLAY THE DESIGN OF HONG KONG'S FIRST AUTHENTIC CHINESE GARDEN TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER KOWLOON WALLED CITY.

A MOBILE EXHIBITION ON THE DESIGN OF THE KOWLOON WALLED CITY PARK, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE URBAN COUNCIL, WAS UNVEILED AT THE CENTRE THIS MORNING.

DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE THEME PARK WILL CAPTURE THE ESSENCE AND STYLE OF THE PRIVATE GARDENS COMMONLY FOUND IN SOUTHERN CHINA IN THE EARLY CHING DYNASTY.

THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, TOLD PARTICIPANTS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE EXHIBITION THAT THE DESIGN CONCEPT COVERED NOT ONLY FUNCTIONAL AND HISTORICAL ASPECTS BUT ALSO CONVEYED AN EDUCATIONAL VALUE ON THE PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF A CHINESE GARDEN.

/THE DESIGN