XN000022-1994-05-06 — Page 11

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1994

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THE FORUM WILL BE TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF IDENTIFYING THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT SUPPORT OR CONSTRAIN BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION AND RECOMMENDING STEPS THAT APEC COULD TAKE TO IMPROVE THE BUSINESS CLIMATE.

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"WITH THE WIDE EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE IN THE BUSINESS SECTOR, AM SURE THAT MR CHEUNG AND DR LIAO WILL MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE FORUM, MR CHAU SAID.

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THE FORUM IS EXPECTED TO MEET AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE THE SECOND ECONOMIC LEADERS' MEETING IN INDONESIA IN NOVEMBER 1994. THE DATE AND VENUE OF THE FIRST MEETING HAVE YET TO BE FIXED.

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HK HOME TO SOPHISTICATED TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTRE

CENTRE FOR

TO ONE OF CENTRES IN

HONG KONG HAS BECOME THE LOGISTICAL BASE AND NERVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHERN CHINA BECAUSE IT IS HOME THE MOST EFFICIENT AND SOPHISTICATED TELECOMMUNICATIONS THE WORLD, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR GORDON SIU, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER OF THE SOCIETY (HONG KONG SECTION), MR SIU SAID HONG KONG FACTO TELECOMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE REGION.

BRITISH COMPUTER WAS ALSO THE DE

MR SIU SAID TO MAINTAIN ITS COMPETITIVENESS, HONG KONG HAD TO MAINTAIN ITS LEADING EDGE IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

"HONG KONG IS FORTUNATE IN THAT WE HAVE ALREADY MADE A HEAD START, HE SAID.

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"WE ARE THE FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD THAT HAS A COMPREHENSIVE FIBRE OPTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AND FULLY DIGITALISED TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

"WE WILL SHORTLY BE ISSUING LOCAL FIXED NETWORK LICENCES то THREE ADDITIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS SO THAT THE RANGE OF SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO BUSINESS AND DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS WILL BE EVEN WIDER.

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IS IN PLACE, " MR SIU

"IN SHORT, WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SAID.

TO ENSURE HONG KONG'S EDUCATION SYSTEM WAS PRODUCING WORKERS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE NEXT GENERATION, MR SIU SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD SPENT $40 MILLION IN EQUIPPING SCHOOLS WITH COMPUTERS AND ANOTHER $20 MILLION MORE WOULD BE SPENT.

MORE THAN 350 SCHOOLS ARE NOW OFFERING COMPUTER

STUDIES

COURSES.

/TO IMPROVE