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SCS's speech at National Day Reception

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Following is the speech by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joseph W P Wong, at the Hong Kong Civil Service Organisations' Cocktail Reception to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China today (September 22):

Mr Tung, Mr Gao, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to the cocktail reception of the Hong Kong Civil Service Organisations to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

It has been seven years since we reunited with our country and patriotic feelings have now taken deeper root among the people of Hong Kong. In last month's Athens Olympics, we were overjoyed at each medal won by national athletes. In particular, when our national flag and the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) flag were being hoisted at the presentation ceremony of men's table tennis doubles, we were filled with love for the country and for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's economy is picking up with a lower rate of unemployment. Greater economic success is achieved with the implementation of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), the rise in number of "individual visits" and the opening up of business opportunities through co-operation within the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region. In this process, our clean and effective civil service remains dedicated to handling the ever-increasing number of visitors at control points, maintaining law and order in different corners of the city and safeguarding public hygiene during the avian flu outbreaks in Asia. In various domains, our civil service has rendered full support to the Government in policy implementation and provided quality public service for the community.

I would like to thank my colleagues for making contributions over the years towards downsizing and pay adjustments to tie in with the cost-saving measures of the Government and to cope with public expectations. I am confident that in future, the Civil Service Bureau will continue to have open dialogue and close co-operation with civil service associations in accordance with the principles of lawfulness, fairness and reasonableness so that we can take full account of the basic interests of the civil service on the one hand and ensure that the overall interests of the community are preserved on the other.

Lastly, let us wish our country and Hong Kong continued prosperity and stability, our civil service colleagues all the best at work and our guests good health. Thank you very much.

Ends/Wednesday, September 22, 2004

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