ENG-1993 — Page 371

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

Japan

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo is responsible for the government's public relations efforts in Japan. It liaises with Japanese ministries and other organisations, and arranges programmes for Japanese officials and other VIPs to visit Hong Kong. It also organises speaking engagements for senior government officers in Japan.

Its information unit provides enquiry and information services concerning events and developments in Hong Kong; maintains close contacts with the local media; briefs and helps plan programmes for media representatives visiting Hong Kong; and monitors the local media coverage of Hong Kong affairs, responding where necessary to reports of relevance to Hong Kong. The office also maintains contacts with other Hong Kong-based organisations and companies in Japan with a view to optimising the territory's overall promotional efforts.

Australia and New Zealand

There are at present no Hong Kong Government offices in Australia and New Zealand, but a public relations firm has been appointed to provide public relations coverage in this region.

Printing and Publishing

A reputation for good printing quality, quick and reliable delivery, and competitive prices continues to boost the international status of Hong Kong's printing industry. The territory is a leading centre for printing and publishing, with 4820 printing establishments employing 40 918 people, and more than 200 publishing houses, including many from overseas which have set up offices or regional headquarters in Hong Kong. Hong Kong printers are investing substantially in advanced machinery and equipment, and are taking positive steps to develop the United States market.

The industry constitutes 12 per cent of all manufacturing establishments and eight per cent of employment in the manufacturing sector. A majority of the printing factories (76 per cent) are engaged in general jobbing work, and most of the remainder deal with related work, such as typesetting and book-binding. There are also 21 newspaper printers.

Use of the latest technology, especially computerised equipment, has enabled the industry to become highly specialised. The local electronics industry contributes to the plant and equipment of both the more sophisticated printing companies and of publishers; who are becoming increasingly involved in the use of data and word-processing systems for editorial production and stock control. The output data can be converted or interfaced with typesetting equipment at a realistic cost, to provide publishers with the additional benefits of fast and cost-efficient printing. An increasing number of Chinese language word-processors are being installed to meet demand.

Domestic exports of printed matter increased in value terms by one per cent over the previous year. Material printed locally with a total value of $4,447 million was exported, with the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and Australia being the main customers. Books, pamphlets, newspapers, journals and periodicals accounted for 68 per cent of exports of printed products. The biggest customers for this reading material were the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Overall, the printing and publishing industries contributed five per cent of the gross output of the manufacturing sector.

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