ENG-1985 — Page 83

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

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1 284 establishments employing 81 995 workers. It produces a wide range of sophisticated and high quality products and components such as calculators, radios, cassette recorders, hi-fi systems, television sets, wired and cordless telephones with built-in memories and automatic dialling functions, telecommunication equipment, photocopying equipment, microcomputers, computer memory systems, Winchester and floppy disk drives, read/write magnetic heads, computer printers, switching power supplies, and computer-aided design and testing equipment. It also produces multi-layer printed circuit boards, electronic modules, liquid crystal displays, quartz crystals and semi-conductor devices including integrated circuit wafers (such as microprocessor, RAM/ROM memory and logic chips).

The plastics industry accounted for 8 per cent of the total domestic exports and 10 per cent of the total industrial employment in 1985. Domestic exports of plastic products during the year were valued at $10,678 million, compared with $12,305 million in 1984. The industry has 5 295 establishments and 85 825 workers. Hong Kong continues to be the world's largest supplier of toys, which represented the bulk of the industry's output.

Hong Kong is an important world exporter of watches and clocks. Domestic exports in 1985 were valued at $9,573 million compared with $9,227 million in 1984. The industry has 1 837 establishments employing 38 395 workers. Production includes both mechanical and electronic watches, clocks, watch cases, dials, metal watch bands, assembled watch movements and watch straps of various materials. Other important light industries produce electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, metal products, jewellery, optical and photographic goods and travel goods, handbags and similar articles.

Heavy and Service Industries

Hong Kong shipyards provide a competitive repair service and build a variety of vessels. Several large shipbuilding and repair yards on Tsing Yi Island provide services to the shipping industry and construct oil rigs for exploration activities.

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The port of Hong Kong, which ranks among the top three container ports in the world, handled approximately 2.25 million TEUS (20-foot equivalent units) in 1985.

The aircraft engineering industry has a high international reputation and provides maintenance, overhaul and repair facilities for most Asian airlines.

The manufacture of machinery, machine tools and their parts provides support to other local industries and also contributes to Hong Kong's export trade. Of particular import- ance are blow moulding, extrusion, and injection moulding machines of up to 12 256-gram injection capacity for the plastics industry;_power presses; lathes, shapers and drilling machines; polishing machines; printing presses; textile knitting and warping machines; and electroplating equipment.

Industry Department

Manufacturing industry is the mainstay of Hong Kong's economy and the department's major role is to ensure that industry is provided with the infrastructure it needs in order to prosper.

The Industry Department consists of four divisions: the Data and Services Division, Industrial Infrastructure Division, Industrial Promotion Division and Industrial Support Division. In addition, the department includes staff responsible for the Standards and Calibration Laboratory and the Laboratory Accreditation Scheme, and administrative support.

The Data and Services Division is responsible for liaison with local and international trade and industry organisations and with local factories. It produces publicity materials