XN000022-1994-01-24 — Page 2

MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1994

1

CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH BUSINESS COMMUNITY

* *

WITH

THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO FOSTER A CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY IN ITS EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN THE CONDITIONS THAT MAKE HONG KONG THE IDEAL PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, WORK AND INVEST.

THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, MRS ANSON CHAN, MADE THE REMARK IN HER SPEECH TO THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TODAY (MONDAY).

SHE SAID IT WAS VITAL FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY THAT BUSINESS REMAINED FREE TO DEFEND ITS OWN COMMERCIAL INTERESTS AND THAT THE COMMUNITY CONTINUED TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT ITS WIDER CONCERNS WERE RESPECTED.

"FOR THIS REASON, WE MUST PUT IN PLACE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994 AND 1995 ELECTIONS WHICH WILL BE FAIR AND OPEN AND, AT THE SAME TIME, ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

"IF WE WERE TO ABANDON OUR EFFORTS ΤΟ ACHIEVE ARRANGEMENTS, WE WOULD BE RETREATING FROM HONEST ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT, AND THE COSTS WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE.

SUCH AND

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY COULD NO LONGER BE CERTAIN OF A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN WHICH POLITICAL PATRONAGE PLAYED NO PART. SHE EXPLAINED.

THE COMMUNITY WOULD NO LONGER BE SURE THAT ITS BEST INTERESTS WERE PARAMOUNT AND THE LEGISLATURE WOULD NO LONGER COMMAND THE PUBLIC SUPPORT NEEDED ΤΟ CHALLENGE THE MISTAKES AND MISDEEDS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, SHE ADDED.

NOTING THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW REQUIRED CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES BE MADE, SHE SAID THE FRAMERS OF THE DOCUMENTS SAW THAT POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS MUST DEVELOP TO MATCH THE ASPIRATIONS OF A MORE SOPHISTICATED, AFFLUENT AND EDUCATED COMMUNITY.

"THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY REGARDS LEGISLATION, REGULATION AND TAXATION AS PART OF THE TOTAL COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT.

"GOVERNMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE DECISIONS IN THESE AREAS THROUGH PROCESSES WHICH COMMAND RESPECT FOR THEIR INTEGRITY AND

ACCOUNTABILITY.

"THE POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS OF THE PAST WOULD HAVE LOOKED INCREASINGLY UNSATISFACTORY BY THESE CRITERIA," SHE SAID.

AND THE

ON THE COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT PRIVATE SECTOR, MRS CHAN BELIEVED THE GOVERNMENT HAD A DUTY ΤΟ ENCOURAGE SUCH PARTNERSHIP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

"THIS PRINCIPLE IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WHEN IT CREATING THE INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH HONG KONG WILL NEED IN CENTURY."

COMES ΤΟ

THE NEXT

/GIVEN HONG