XN000022-1994-01-21 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1994

FC'S DECISION ON AIRPORT FUNDING WELCOMED

THE

DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, MRS ANSON CHAN, THIS EVENING SAID SHE WAS VERY PLEASED THAT! THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAD AGREED AT ITS MEETING TODAY TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDS FOR THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT.

SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER ATTENDING THE DUTCH BUSINESS ASSOCIATION NEW YEAR'S RECEPTION, MRS CHAN NOTED THAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAD VOTED FOR THE FUNDING IN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY SO AS ΤΟ ENABLE THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE WORKS OF THE AIRPORT PROJECT.

ASKED WHETHER THE NEW FUNDING WOULD MAKE FUTURE AIRPORT TALKS TO MORE DIFFICULT, MRS CHAN SAID THE BRITISH SIDE HAD ALL ALONG HOPED CONTINUE TO DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS THE NEW AIRPORT THROUGH THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE.

D

COMMITTEE

FOR

WE HAVE RECENTLY PROPOSED TO THE CHINESE SIDE THAT THE AIRPORT THROUGH THE SHOULD MEET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE HOPE THAT COMMITTEE, BOTH SIDES CAN SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS IN WHAT WAY AN AGREEMENT ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE REACHED,

"UNTIL AN AGREEMENT, CAN BE REACHED, THE BRITISH SIDE WILL FULLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, THAT IS

++ SHE SAID. COMPLETE THE NEW AIRPORT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE BEFORE 1997,

ACT ΤΟ

į

CONSUMER PRICE INDICES FOR DECEMBER

*

RELEASED

TODAY

THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR WAS 8.6% HIGHER THAN IN DECEMBER 1992, ACCORDING TO FIGURES (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THIS WAS

SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE CORRESPONDING

8.4% IN NOVEMBER 1993.

INCREASE

OF

INCREASE

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT THE HIGHER RATE OF IN THE CPI(A) IN DECEMBER WAS MAINLY DUE TO FASTER INCREASES IN FOOD PRICES, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF SALT-WATER FISH AND FRESH FRUIT.

PRICES OF MANY OTHER COMPONENTS, SUCH AS HOUSING AND AND FOOTWEAR, SHOWED A SLOWER INCREASE IN DECEMBER THAN WHEN COMPARED WITH THE SAME MONTH IN 1992.

IN

CLOTHING NOVEMBER

A WHOLE,

THE SPOKESMAN FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT, FOR 1993 AS THE YEAR-ON-YEAR RATE OF INCREASE IN THE CPI(A) AVERAGED AT 8.5%, SAME AS THE NOVEMBER UPDATED FORECAST.

THIS

WAS

SIGNIFICANTLY

LOWER THAN THE

OF AVERAGES

12.0%

RECORDED IN 1991 AND 9.4% IN 1992.

THE CPI(B) AND THE HANG SENG CPI WERE HIGHER BY 8.5% AND RESPECTIVELY IN DECEMBER 1993 THAN

1992. IN DECEMBER CORRESPONDING INCREASES IN NOVEMBER 1993 WERE 8.4% AND 9.5%.

10.2%

THE

/THE COMPOSITE