XN000022-1994-10-27 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1994

HK REGAINS ROLE AS MAJOR ENTREPOT FOR CHINA TRADE

THE

OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL

SAID (THURSDAY) THAT HONG KONG HAD REGAINED ITS ORIGINAL ROLE AS THE

CHINA TRADE WITH THE OPENING UP AND

TRADE, MR TONY

MILLER,

TODAY

MAJOR

RAPID

GROWTH

OF

ENTREPOT FOR CHINA'S ECONOMY.

KONG

THE PREMIER

"THE

HONG EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF TRADE FAIRS HELD IN EACH YEAR UNDERLINES THE WAY THAT HONG KONG HAS BECOME REGIONAL SUPER-MART,' HE SAID.

OFFICIATING

"

10TH HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL COME AFTER MANUFACTURE OF

THE AT

OPENING CEREMONY OF THE FOOTWEAR FAIR INTERNATIONAL

AND THE 9TH

KONG HONG HANDBAGS AND LEATHER GOODS FAIR, MR MILLER SAID THIS HAD HONG KONG'S EARLY POST-WAR YEARS AS A CENTRE FOR THE CONSUMER GOODS.

SHRUNK

"OVER THE SAME PERIOD, OUR MANUFACTURING BASE MAY HAVE IN RELATIVE SIZE, BUT OUT INDUSTRIES HAVE GROWN BOTH IN STATURE AND IN REACH. THEY HAVE MOVED UP-MARKET," HE SAID.

"THEIR PRODUCTS ARE INCREASINGLY KNOWN FOR QUALITY, FOR VARIETY AND FOR INNOVATIVE DESIGN.

LEATHER

NOW

"OVER HALF OF OUR PRODUCTION OF FOOTWEAR, HANDBAGS AND GOODS IS EXPORTED, PRINCIPALLY TO WESTERN MARKETS AND THE INCREASINGLY

IS AFFLUENT

THE HONG KONG LABEL NEWER MARKETS OF THE FAR EAST. RECOGNISED AND VALUED ALL AROUND THE WORLD,"

THESE NEWLY AND DESIGNER LEATHER PRODUCTS

MR MILLER SAID THAT HONG KONG WAS ITSELF ONE OF AFFLUENT MARKETS,

QUALITY WITH LOCAL DEMAND FOR HIGH LABELS IN FOOTWEAR, IN HANDBAGS AND IN CONTINUING TO EXPAND.

OTHER

"JUST TO QUOTE ONE STATISTIC, THE LAST FOUR YEARS HONG KONG'S IMPORT OF SUCH GOODS INCREASE BY A STAGGERING E TO OVER $45 BILLION, HE ADDED.

"

HAVE SEEN 146 PER CENT

MR MILLER NOTED THAT THE TWO INTERNATIONAL FAIRS HAD GONE STRENGTH TO STRENGTH OVER THE LAST DECADE AND THEIR PROGRESS IN WAYS REFLECTED THE CHANGES IN HONG KONG'S ECONOMY,

FROM

MANY

TOGETHER

THE PERFECT THE LATEST AND

HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE ORGANISERS AS THEY HAD BROUGHT

PROVIDING SOME 700 EXHIBITORS FROM OVER 20 COUNTRIES, SHOWCASE FOR MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TO BROWSE THROUGH PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY, TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, TO BUILD UP CONTACTS TO CONCLUDE BUSINESS CONTRACTS.

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