XN000022-1995-12-13 — Page 4

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Question: Do you think that it will affect the confidence of Hong Kong people after 1997?

Governor: I hope that leaders in China consider the impact on people in Hong Kong. We've just had a discussion, a debate, not prompted by Hong Kong, prompted by officials in China and by some who purport to advise China. We've just had a debate about the protection of civil liberties in Hong Kong. It was an indication of the importance which people attach to their civil liberties, their values, their freedoms in Hong Kong. I invite Chinese leaders to think what people in Hong Kong think about those matters tonight.

End

Technological upgrading in industry vital

Hong Kong has demonstrated the value of technological upgrading in industry, the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, said today (Wednesday).

"Despite much higher labour costs than in adjacent countries, we still employ 400,000 people in manufacturing industry, contributing $222 billion last year to our economy through exports." Mr Patten said.

Speaking at the 1995 Chiang Technology Achievement Awards presentation ceremony and opening of the Third International Conference on Manufacturing Technology, the Governor said that was a vital contribution.

"It is one that is made through the initiative and leadership of industrialists and technologists, not the direction of Government," he said.

The Governor said the role of the Government was to provide good soil in which industrial and technological sectors could flourish.

It included good education; infrastructure development; a good business environment; support for the Hong Kong Productivity Council, Industrial Technology Centre, New Technology Training Scheme and applied research and development; encouraging contacts between Hong Kong and other scientists; and civic freedoms that encourage innovation and initiative.