XN000022-1994-04-29 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1994

QUESTION: OBVIOUSLY, THE CHINESE OFFICIALS DIDN'T INTEND TO MEET WITH YOU WHILE THEY STOP OVER IN HONG KONG, DO YOU THINK IT HAD AN IMPLICATION THAT CHINESE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T WANT TO CO-OPERATE WITH YOU POLITICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY?

GOVERNOR: I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC IN HONG KONG HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE CHINESE OFFICIALS CO- OPERATING WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT I WANT TO SEE AND I AM SURE THAT WE WILL SEE THAT BETWEEN NOW AND 1997. I HOPE THAT DIRECTOR LU PING, WHEN HE COMES IN THE COMING WEEK WHEN HE ARRIVES IN HONG KONG, WILL BE ABLE TO MEET MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND I AM SURE THAT HIS POCKETS WILL BE FULL OF GOOD NEWS FOR HONG KONG. THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.

HK

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AMERICA'S GATEWAY TO PACIFIC CENTURY

THE HER 29).

HONG KONG IN THE 21ST CENTURY WILL MATTER TO CHINA, ASIA AND REST OF THE WORLD, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID IN LUNCHEON SPEECH TO THE ASIA SOCIETY IN NEW YORK ON FRIDAY (APRIL

IT WILL MATTER TO U.S. BUSINESS AS A PROSPEROUS, OPEN AND EXTERNALLY-ORIENTATED MARKET, AS A GATEWAY TO CHINA AND AS A BUSINESS CENTRE FOR EAST ASIA AS A WHOLE, SHE SAID.

"FOR AMERICAN BUSINESSMEN WITH A KEEN NOSE FOR OPPORTUNITIES, IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER YOU SHOULD INVEST IN HONG KONG.

SAID.

"RATHER IT IS A QUESTION OF WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD NOT TO," SHE

MRS CHAN SAID HONG KONG'S POSITION AS AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE WAS FOUNDED ON A MULTIPLICITY OF FACTORS.

AN EFFICIENT, OPEN, HONEST AND UNOBTRUSIVE GOVERNMENT; SIMPLE IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES THAT ALLOW EXPATRIATE STAFF TO WORK IN HONG KONG; AND LOW TAX RATES ARE SOME OF THE REASONS FOR ITS SUCCESS IN ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS.

OTHER FACTORS ARE A WELL-ESTABLISHED LEGAL SYSTEM, INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF EDUCATION, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS.

POINTING OUT THAT ALL THESE FACTORS MUST BE MAINTAINED IF HONG KONG IS TO FLOURISH INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, MRS CHAN SAID THE SINO- BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION COVERED THESE POINTS IN DETAIL.

SHE

SAID HER TOP PRIORITY WAS TO HELP MAKE A SUCCESS OF THE TRANSITION ΤΟ CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997 AND TO ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT WAS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE SHAPE TO CONTINUE SERVING COMMUNITY AFTER THE END OF BRITISH RULE.

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