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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, said today (Friday) that the Government would continue to improve the business environment and build on our existing strengths now that the worst time in our economy was over.

"We also hope to take full advantage of the greater opportunities arising from the consistent rapid growth of the Chinese economy," he said.

Mr Tung met Liberal Party Legislative Councillors and Chairmen of the Provisional District Boards at separate meetings this afternoon to listen to their views on a number of issues of concern to the people.

The Chief Executive shared Members' concern about manpower training. Human capital had been Hong Kong's most valuable asset, Mr Tung said.

"We have to improve the education for our population so that that they could participate fully in a knowledge-based economy.

"We will continue to devote huge resources to education. We will emphasise the importance of creativity and will seek to improve students' proficiency in both the English and the Chinese language," he said.

The Chief Executive said that the Education Commission was conducting a review of our academic system to identify the direction for development. The review would be completed in 2000.

Mr Tung added that Hong Kong was one of the world's most externally-oriented economies with a cosmopolitan and outward-looking community.

"We will continue to promote Hong Kong's cosmopolitan image and make it the 'Premier International City in Asia'," he said.

The Chief Executive said that to achieve this, in addition to building on our existing strengths, we needed to promote innovation and technology, improve our education and the environment, and stimulate the tourist industry.

End/Friday, August 27, 1999

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