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Following is the transcript of the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, in response to media enquiries after a Legislative Council debate on the Policy Address today (January 17):

Acting Chief Executive: In the preparation of his Policy Address this year, the Chief Executive has consulted extensively with different sectors in the community. And also in compiling the Policy Agenda, the Heads of Bureaux, since their appointment on July 1, also consulted their concern groups extensively and the results is quite clearly. A very good Policy Address which outlines the direction of which the Chief Executive will lead Hong Kong to march towards through economic recovery. And various Bureaux's Chiefs would also produce their Policy Agenda for the coming 18 months, the complement to what the Chief Executive has proposed. What we have seen now that through the combined effort of the community, we are beginning to see early fruits of the community efforts to produce a different economic structure and a more widened economy. My job, together with the job of our accountable Principal Officials will be working together with the Chief Executive according to the directions laid out and combine the effort of the community to achieve the common goal of economic recovery.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion.)

End/Friday, January 17, 2003

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