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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, said today (Friday) that the Civil Service in Hong Kong was one of the best in the world but the Government must remain forward looking in order to meet with the challenges in the new millennium.

Mr Tung made these remarks in a meeting with a US Congressional delegation, led by Representative Jim Kolbe and Representative Doug Bereuter.

The Chief Executive exchanged views with the delegation on a wide range of issues relating to the bilateral trade and economic relationship between Hong Kong and the US, and the economic outlook of major Asian economies.

Mr Tung also took the opportunity to explain to the delegation the reasons behind the market intervention taken by the Government last August. He pointed to the need for early action to step up the surveillance of international short-term capital flow. "We look very much towards the US for leadership in this regard," he said.

In response to questions raised by the delegation on the Chief Executive's remarks at the Legislative Council yesterday regarding the need to develop a performance-based Civil Service, Mr Tung said, "The Civil Service in Hong Kong is probably one of the best in the world and their contribution towards a smooth and successful transition is good proof in itself. We are, however, not complacent and keep on reminding ourselves to stay forward looking.

"We have been discussing within the Government as to how we should prepare ourselves for the new challenges lying ahead in the 21st Century," Mr Tung said.

"It is important to engage the civil servants and the public at large in early discussions of these major issues, for instance in identifying the need for changes and ways to improve our performance, in order to make the Civil Service more customer-friendly," he said.

"It is always better to stay ahead in preparing ourselves for new challenges," he added. "But we will adopt a gradual, step-by-step approach in order to allow ample opportunities for people to express their views."

END/Friday, January 15, 1999

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