XN000022-1996-02-05 — Page 2

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$8 million-pledge to aid earthquake victims in China

The Government has today (Monday) proposed to the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee that the fund should in principle pledge $8 million as a contribution to the earthquake victims in Lijiang and Zhongdian counties in Yunnan, China.

Funds will be allocated to relief organisations with sound track records whose proposed relief programme meets the approval of the advisory committec.

So far, three relief agents - Hong Kong Red Cross, Oxfam Hong Kong and Medecins Sans Frontieres - have indicated their interest in applying for funds for relief programmes in the affected areas. They are in the process of gathering information and formulating their action plans.

A government spokesman expressed hopes that the pledge would stimulate further responses from the public towards the plight of the people affected by the earthquake.

Enquiries can be made to the Secretary to the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee in Room 553, Central Government Offices, East Wing or on 2810 3503.

The advisory committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary. Other members are Dr Raymond Ch'ien, Mr J D McGregor, Mr Cheung Hon-chung, Mr Lau Chin-shek, the Secretary for Health and Welfare and the Secretary for the Treasury.

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Gross domestic product for third quarter of 1995

In the third quarter of 1995, Hong Kong's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.2% in real terms over the same quarter in 1994, according to the preliminary estimates released today (Monday) by the Census and Statistics Department.

Taking the first three quarters of 1995 together, real GDP grew by an average of 5.1% over the same period in 1994. However, on a year-on-year comparison, the GDP growth rate showed some moderation over these three quarters.