XN000022-1995-09-19 — Page 12

11 -

After visiting the site, Mr Blake said the excellent progress on these two ACP contracts reflected the good momentum that had been maintained on the ACP as a whole.

"Looking back over the past four years as I come to the end of my terms of office, it is pleasing to be here today for another of the major milestones that have been achieved by various ACP projects in the last 12 months.

"Major milestones achieved in the past year include the completion of the land formation of the 1,248-hectare airport platform at Chek Lap Kok, the first bridge link built between Chek Lap Kok and Tung Chung, the sinking of the first batch of airport railway immersed tube tunnel units, the commencement of main span construction for both Tsing Ma and Kap Shui Mun bridges, as well as the nearly completed reclamation works at West Kowloon.

"Work on the 10 projects are about 39 per cent complete. The seven government projects and the Western Harbour Crossing will be completed on target by mid-1997. The new airport is targeted to open in April 1998 while the airport railway is set to begin operations by June 1998," he said.

End/Tuesday, September 19, 1995

STI to attend economic summit in Singapore

The Secretary for Trade and Industry, Mr T H Chau, will leave tomorrow (Wednesday) for Singapore to participate in the Europe/East Asia Economic Summit as a guest of the World Economic Forum, the organiser of the meeting which will be held from September 20 to 22.

The meeting will be jointly opened by Senior Minister of Singapore Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Norway Ms Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director of the World Economic Forum Ms Colette Mathur and Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board Mr Philip Yeo.

During the meeting, Mr Chau will speak at a plenary session on "Trade: what policies are needed to shift from confrontation to constructive competition? What are the responsibilities of European and Asian countries?" Mr Chau will also speak at a Hong Kong lunch, which he will co-host with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.