XN000022-1994-10-19 — Page 31

29

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1994

CHIEF SECRETARY TELLS NEW YORK BUSINESSMEN

OF HK'S CONTINUED SUCCESS

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, HAS ASSURED NEW YORK BUSINESS LEADERS THAT IT WILL BE "BUSINESS AS USUAL AFTER 1997 IN HONG KONG".

NEW

THE

DELIVERING A KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO MORE THAN 500 DELEGATES ATTENDING THE HONG KONG-USA BUSINESS SEMINAR IN THE PLAZA HOTEL, YORK, MRS CHAN SAID HONG KONG'S COMMITMENT WAS TO MAINTAIN STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE WHICH HAD EARNED IT DUE RECOGNITION PREMIER BUSINESS CENTRE IN ASIA,

AS THE

"MOST OF OUR PROGRAMMES AND MANY OF OUR PROJECTS HAVE A LIFE WELL BEYOND 1997. WE WILL NOT LET OUR STANDARDS SLIP.

-

"OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES MY HIGHEST PRIORITIES AS CHIEF SECRETARY AND THE PRIORITIES OF ALL OF US WHO WANT OUR FUTURE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 TO BE EVERY BIT AS BRIGHT AS OUR PRESENT MAINTAIN THE RULE OF LAW; ΤΟ MAINTAIN THE STRONGEST SAFEGUARDS AGAINST CORRUPTION; TO MAINTAIN INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS, CLEAN, OPEN AND EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT; AND ΤΟ IMPARTIALITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, MRS CHAN SAID.

ARE ΤΟ POSSIBLE RIGHTS AND UPHOLD THE

REFERRING TO THE CONTAINER TERMINAL NO. 9 PROJECT, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS FIERCELY PROTECTIVE OF ITS WELL- EARNED REPUTATION FOR OPERATING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AND FOR RUNNING A SOUND, CLEAN ADMINISTRATION FREE OF CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL INTERFERENCE.

"IT IS VITAL THAT WE MAINTAIN IT. IT IS VITAL ALSO THAT WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN HELPING TO PRESERVE THE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH ARE SO FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR SUCCESS AND ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS IS THE RULE OF LAW.

"ONCE THAT BECOMES ERODED OR UNDERMINED, BUSINESS, LIKE THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY, WILL FIND ITSELF PLAYING ON A FIELD THAT IS ANYTHING BUT LEVEL, FAMILIAR OR FRIENDLY. THIS IS ONE PLAYING FIELD WHERE THE GOAL POSTS CANNOT BE SHIFTED, AND I HOPE OUR FRIENDS IN BUSINESS MAKE THAT CLEAR AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO SECURE HONG KONG'S FUTURE."

MRS CHAN WAS INTRODUCED AT THE LUNCHEON BY FORMER USA TRADE REPRESENTATIVE, MRS CARLA HILLS. LATER DURING A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION, MRS CHAN, IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, SAID: "WE BELIEVE PRESS FREEDOM TO BE FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR WHOLE WAY OF LIFE AND FUNDAMENTAL TO THE VERY VITALITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG, BOTH NOW AND AFTER 1997.

SHE

WHAT IT PRESS.

F

SAID FOR ITS PART THE HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION COULD TO ENSURE THE TERRITORY CONTINUED TO HAVE

·

WAS DOING

A VIBRANT

/THE CHIEF