XN000022-1995-07-04 — Page 3

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Chief Secretary: Let me make it clear both these visits were not negotiating sessions. No deals were made. Rather they were opportunities for myself and for Mr Qian and Director Lu to get to know one another better and I hope that on the basis of this first visit, it will be possible for us to establish a more positive, a warmer relationship and on that basis it would then be easier for us to discuss matters of mutual concern and interest.

Question: Did you discuss the possibility of a visit between the Chinese and the Governor?

Chief Secretary: I of course reiterated the Governor's invitation for Director Lu to visit Hong Kong at any time. I also extended an invitation to Vice-Premier Qian to visit and the Governor would of course be very happy to see Chinese leaders at any time, at any place.

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Question: Mrs Chan, do think that this visit represent right now then the past two years?

Chief Secretary: I think this visit indicates that there is a genuine wish on the part of both sides to strengthen communication and links particularly at senior official level. I was particularly encouraged as a result of my meetings in the sense that I felt that both Vice-Premier Qian and Director Lu, they are both genuinely concerned about the civil service. They are concerned to provide whatever reassurance they can and to assure civil servants that they have a future and that they have an important role to play both in maintaining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability before 1997 and after 1997.

End/Tuesday, July 4, 1995

Development package to improve ferry service approved

The Governor-in-Council today (Tuesday) approved the general terms of a pier development package which would enable the Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Ltd (HYF) to improve the quality of ferry services and to keep fare increases in line with inflation.

A Government spokesman stressed that the package would be of considerable benefit to the community because HYF would use a major proportion of the development profits for acquiring new vessels, implementing improvement measures and keeping fare increases in line with inflation.

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