ENG-1996 — Page 14

CALENDAR OF EVENTS IN 1996

29

31

February

1

10

16

28

The Secretary for Trade and Industry, Miss Denise Yue, meets senior officials of the European Union in Brussels, including vice-presidents Sir Leon Brittan and Mr Manual Marin. They discuss Hong Kong's relationship with the EU and the multilateral trading system.

Hong Kong and Germany sign an investment promotion and protection agreement in Bonn.

The Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang, flies to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the annual summit of the World Economic Forum.

A new Supplementary Labour Scheme comes into in force under which employers are allowed to bring in workers if locals cannot be recruited. It will be reviewed when 2 000 visas are issued.

In the year's first flight under the Orderly Repatriation Programme, 109 Vietnamese fly back to Hanoi.

Two teachers and three children die in a scrub fire while on a school outing in the Pat Sin Leng hills north of Tai Po. Another 13 children are injured.

Law reforms come into effect giving greater protection for vulnerable witnesses giving evidence in criminal cases. These allow witnesses to give evidence by television from a room outside the court and recorded on video.

Chairmen of the 18 District Boards or their representatives pay the first formal visit by such a body to Macau. They meet their Macau counterparts and visit various municipal projects, including the new airport on Taipa. The trip is organised by Hong Kong's Home Affairs Department.

March

2

3

4

The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, arrives in Hong Kong for a two-day visit. He tours the sites of Tsing Ma Bridge and Chek Lap Kok airport. He meets the Governor, businessmen, members of the Executive and Legislative Councils and community leaders.

The Secretary for Works, Mr Kwong Hon-sang, accompanied by seven officials, visits Beijing and Dalian for general familiarisation. The visit ends on March 12.

Mr Major announces the granting of visa-free access to the UK for holders of Special Administrative Region passports and a special arrangement for war widows and Hong Kong ethnic minorities.

Principal Crown Counsel Stephen Wong leads a team to a UN hearing in Geneva to answer questions on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in the territory.