XN000022-1994-03-08 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1994

CS TO LEAD HK'S MFN LOBBYING

OF MOST SPOKESMAN

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, WILL VISIT THE UNITED STATES IN LATE APRIL TO LOBBY FOR THE UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL FAVOURED NATION (MFN) STATUS FOR CHINA, A GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY).

THE

U.S.

MRS CHAN WILL BE MEETING SENIOR MEMBERS OF ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS IN WASHINGTON AND BUSINESS AND TRADE GROUPS IN NEW YORK.

"THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA ARE HONG KONG'S TWO LARGEST TRADING PARTNERS AND A GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM WILL BE A VITAL FACTOR IN HONG KONG'S LONG-TERM SUCCESS," MRS CHAN SAID.

"I SHALL BE SETTING OUT IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS HONG KONG'S COMMITMENT TO FREE TRADE AS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MFN STATUS TO HONG KONG.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT FAILURE TO RENEW MFN WOULD SLASH KONG'S GDP GROWTH BY UP TO THREE PERCENTAGE POINTS, AND EMPLOYMENT UP TO 75,000 JOBS.

HONG

BY

MRS CHAN IS EXPECTED TO SPEND THREE DAYS IN WASHINGTON AND DAYS IN NEW YORK.

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APART

FRON MEETINGS WITH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS IN WASHINGTON, SHE WILL HAVE A FULL PROGRAMME OF IMPORTANT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, MEETINGS WITH INFLUENTIAL PUBLIC POLICY ORGANISATIONS, TRADE ORGANISATIONS AND MEDIA INTERVIEWS,

DETAILS OF MRS CHAN'S ITINERARY WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEARER THE TIME OF THE VISIT.

TRANSPORT LINKS VITAL TO CROSS-BORDER DEVELOPMENT: Cs

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HONG KONG'S ROLES AS AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE AND A GATEWAY TO CHINA DEPEND CRITICALLY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OP TRANSPORT LINKS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

"IT IS VITAL FOR CHINA AND FOR HONG KONG THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO STAND STILL," MRS CHAN TOLD AN AUDIENCE AT THE TRANSDELTA CONFERENCE ORGANISED BY THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE TRANSPORT.

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SHE SAID HONG KONG NEEDED BETTER HIGHWAYS LINKING THE TERRITORY WITH GUANGDONG, MORE CONTAINER TERMINAL CAPACITY TO HANDLE THE BOOMING CHINA TRADE, AND CHEK LAP KOK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE то SECURE ITS POSITION AS CHINA'S INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE AFTER 1997.

/SPEAKING ON