XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 71

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

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STI SPEAKS ON MOTION OF THANKS FOR POLICY ADDRESS

*

FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND OF INDUSTRY, MR T H CHAU, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON MOTION THANKS TODAY (WEDNESDAY);

MR PRESIDENT,

INCLUDING

SEVERAL MEMBERS HAVE DRAWN ATTENTION TO ISSUES ARISING FROM THE THE RESTRUCTURING OF OUR ECONOMY OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, GROWING SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SERVICE SECTOR, THE MIGRATION OF LOW VALUE-ADDED INDUSTRIES TO CHINA, AND THE NEED FOR

MANUFACTURING SECTOR TO FOCUS ON HIGH VALUE-ADDED ACTIVITIES, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

THE

INCLUDING APPLIED

WE ARE VERY MUCH ALIVE TO THESE DEVELOPMENTS, AS THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS AND MY OWN POLICY COMMITMENTS HAVE MADE CLEAR. THE MEASURES WE HAVE TAKEN AND THOSE WE ARE PLANNING DEMONSTRATE OUR

COMMITMENT CONTINUING

TO BUILDING THE TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED BY ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND MANUFACTURING-RELATED INDUSTRIES,

דידי

THE THIRD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE WHICH OPENED LAST MONTH WILL 1996, PRODUCE 70 HECTARES OF LAND FOR HIGHER TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES BY AND WE ARE ALREADY SEARCHING FOR SUITABLE SITES

FOURTH FOR THE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE. EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY CENTRE TOOK OVER ITS NEW AND PURPOSE-BUILT PREMISES IN KOWLOON TONG, WHICH WILL PROVIDE 20,000 SQUARE METRES OF SPACE FOR TECHNOLOGY-BASED BUSINESSES. THIS YEAR, WE ARE DISBURSING $180 MILLION FOR PROJECTS TO BOOST INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY.

NEXT YEAR, WE SHALL ESTABLISH THE APPLIED RESEARCH CENTRE, WITH INITIAL FUNDING OF $50 MILLION, AND WITH MORE TO BE MADE AVAILABLE WE THROUGH THE INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL IN THE YEARS TO COME. SHALL CONTINUE TO INVEST LARGE SUMS IN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND THE APPLIED R & D FUND. ALL THIS COMES ON TOP OF CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR FACILITIES AND SERVICES SUCH AS THOSE AND BY THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL AND THE STANDARDS PROVIDED CALIBRATION LABORATORY, WHICH HAVE A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY IN UPGRADING.

INDUSTRIAL

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WILL SPEAK ON THE SERVICE SECTOR LATER AND SO I WILL MAKE ONLY ONE POINT NOW ON THIS ON;

I SECTOR.

WAS SURPRISED THAT DR HUANG CHEN-YA FELT THAT INADEQUATE MANPOWER HAD BEEN ALLOCATED BY THE GOVERNMENT ΤΟ DEAL WITH THE URUGUAY ROUND THE NEGOTIATIONS ON TRADE IN SERVICES. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM TRUTH. HONG KONG WAS A VERY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS AND OUR NEGOTIATORS WERE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN DEFENDING HONG KONG'S INTERESTS, DR. HUANG HAS MY UNQUALIFIED

OUR ASSURANCE

WILL CONTINUE

SO TO DO

IN THE UNFINISHED NEGOTIATIONS ON FINANCIAL SERVICES AND OTHER AREAS OF TRADE IN SERVICES.

THAT

NEGOTIATORS

PROMOTING

AND

/CERTAIN MEMBERS

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