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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, to the media before attending the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral co-operation in industrial research and development between Hong Kong and Israel today (February 17):
Reporter: Is it a worrying sign as there's growing antagonism between Hong Kong people and the Mainlanders?
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: As I said earlier, what happened yesterday, the harassment of the tourists on Canton Road, is very regrettable and we strongly condemn this sort of action happening in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has been very friendly to our tourists; not only to our tourists but to other people who conduct businesses in Hong Kong. This sort of behaviour should not be repeated in Hong Kong.
Reporter: (On Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK)'s new Broadcasting House.) The construction cost is only going to increase in the future. Does it mean that there is ... no hope for RTHK to have a new headquarters?
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: There are two things that we are doing. First of all, this being voted down by the PWSC (Legislative Council (LegCo) Public Works Sub-committee), we have worked with the colleagues from RTHK to work on a short-term solution to see how we can cater to all the needs of RTHK. And then in the long run, invariably, we will have to go through a re-tendering process. We are working on this together with RTHK to see how we can cater to and answer the concerns of the LegCo Members with a view that we will gain their support in the next round.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, February 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:44
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