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Annual industries surveys to be conducted

The Industry Department is conducting three annual surveys to collect information on Hong Kong's manufacturing environment, external investment in local manufacturing industries and regional representation by overseas companies in the territory.

The Survey of Hong Kong's Manufacturing Environment, the seventh to be conducted by the department, aims to ascertain manufacturers' views on Hong Kong's investment environment and how they see their business prospects.

It will cover some 3,000 manufacturing establishments in the territory. The selected industries include clothing, electronics, textiles, printing, watches and clocks, food and beverage, metal products, plastics, jewellery, industrial machinery, packaging products, chemical, toy, and photographic goods.

Targeting at some 1,400 companies engaging in manufacturing industries and containing investment from outside Hong Kong, the Survey of External Investment in Hong Kong's Manufacturing Industries aims to ascertain the value of external investment in Hong Kong's manufacturing industries at the end of 1995.

"Information on the source countries for investment and its distribution among the manufacturing industries will be collected," a spokesman of the department said.

He said the third survey was to identify the number of regional headquarters and regional offices established by overseas companies in Hong Kong and to seek the companies' views on the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a regional headquarters or regional office in Hong Kong.

The Survey of Regional Representation by Overseas Companies in Hong Kong will cover all overseas companies known to be operating in Hong Kong, which were about 11,000, he said.

Questionnaires of the three surveys have been sent to selected manufacturing establishments. Where necessary, survey officers of the Industry Department will visit the establishments between June and August to assist them in completing the questionnaires.