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Following is the speech (translation) by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at a reception for major civil service unions and departmental consultative committees at Government House today (September 24):

Fellow colleagues,

Our civil service has played a pivotal role in the implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" since Hong Kong's return to China. As Chief Executive, I have always regarded you as the most important asset of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government. I take pride in being surrounded by a world-class team of professional and efficient civil servants. The realisation of various government policies and visions owes much to your dedication and contributions.

Hong Kong's civil service is well-known for professionalism, political neutrality, incorruptibility and unwavering commitment. That is why when I introduced the Principal Officials Accountability System in July 2002, I insisted on the need to preserve and enhance these distinctive qualities. It is in times of crisis and challenge that we come to appreciate more fully the important role that you play. The SARS outbreak early this year caused unprecedented havoc. Throughout the crisis our civil servants continued to faithfully discharge their duties, standing shoulder to shoulder with our healthcare workers and the community as a whole to combat the virus. Whether conducting the quarantine programme, launching the territory-wide clean-up campaign, ensuring the availability of adequate supplies or carrying out anti-SARS measures at border checkpoints, you displayed endurance and conscientiousness. I was touched and the entire community showed huge appreciation. I understand that Mr Joseph Wong, Secretary for the Civil Service, has issued Certificates of Appreciation to some 14,000 colleagues. Here I would like to thank you again on behalf of the SAR Government.

Right now, Hong Kong is experiencing a time of unprecedented difficulties. The Asian financial turmoil, the bursting of our own bubble economy, the global downturn triggered by the ebbing of the dot.com tide in the US, and the rapid economic advances of China all pose new challenges. These challenges call for economic restructuring, which takes time and is causing much pain to many of us. Besieged by "negative equity", rising unemployment, the worsening fiscal deficit and continued deflation, our community is indeed under great pressure. But we are not alone. With the advent of globalisation, many economies around the world face similar difficulties. To meet these challenges and harness the opportunities arising from the Mainland's economic advances, we must move up the value-added chain. We must capitalise on our strengths and reinforce our "four pillars" - namely, finance, logistics, tourism and producer services - to revitalise the economy and create jobs.

Succeeding in our economic restructuring and eliminating the fiscal deficit require the efforts of every individual and the commitment of the whole community. We must adopt new thinking to tackle new challenges. I know our cost-saving measures on manpower have inevitably meant a heavier workload for our colleagues. Our civil service has indeed achieved much in improving efficiency, trimming the size of the permanent establishment and providing new services.

I am fully aware of the difficulties faced by our colleagues. Joseph often briefs me about them. I would like to use this meeting to stress one point: both the management and staff sides must strengthen communication to work in partnership to ride out the challenges and to ensure a more effective and efficient government. The civil service has consistently demonstrated its dedication and commitment to serving the community. In these difficult times, we must fully assume our role as the cornerstone of Hong Kong's stability. Let me express my appreciation to all of you for the brilliant job you are doing in this area.

Revitalising the economy and cutting the fiscal deficit are the two top priorities on our agenda. To accomplish these onerous tasks, we rely on your support and commitment. Our economy has picked up since the second half of 2002. It proves that our economic strategies are on the right track and our efforts over the years have laid a firm foundation for future advancement. Despite the impact of the SARS attack, economic activity is reviving and market sentiment continues to improve thanks to the full support of the Central Government as demonstrated by the "individual visits to Hong Kong" programme, CEPA and the Guangdong-Hong Kong economic cooperation initiative. Economic restructuring will last some time yet, but we are already seeing promising signs of recovery. We are confident that with our determination to succeed against all odds, our quality civil service and the shared commitment of the whole community, we will scale new heights. I hope each and every member of our civil service will strive for continued prosperity and stability in Hong Kong.

Thank you.

End/Wednesday, September 24, 2003

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