Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 13, 2004
HK legislators to deliberate over supporting export industries
Hong Kong's Legislative Council is to hold a meeting Wednesday during which legislators will debate a motion on supporting Hong Kong's import and export industries.
Hong Kong's Legislative Council is to hold a meeting Wednesday during which legislators will debate a motion on supporting Hong Kong's import and export industries.
The motion, to be tabled by lawmaker Hui Cheung-ching, "urges the government to expeditiously study how Hong Kong's import and export industries will be affected by the implementation of the Chinese Mainland/ Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)."
It also urged study on the changes to be introduced by Europeancountries and the United States in 2005 to the export quota systemfor major textile products from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland,and to formulate corresponding measures.
Hong Kong Trade Development Council's (TDC) Chief Economist Edward Leung predicted earlier that total merchandise exports in 2004 are expected to rise by 7 percent in value, or 7.5 percent involume.
Hong Kong legislators will also debate a motion proposed by Michael Mak Kwok-fung on better health care financing policy.
The legislator said in his motion that "as the existing health care financing policy fails to enable the public to receive sustained good-quality health care services, this council urges the government to work out a better health care financing plan in the light of overseas experience and to consult the public, so as to expeditiously formulate a long-term new policy that is workable."
On bills, the Vocational Training Council (Amendment) Bill 2003will be introduced into the Council for the first and second readings. The second reading debate on this bill will be adjourned.
Meanwhile, the second reading of the Education (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2003 and Hon Kenneth Ting Woo-shou's Ling Liang World-Wide Evangelistic Mission Incorporation (Amendment) Bill 2003 will resume. If the two bills are approved by council membersin its second reading, they will then go through the Committee stage and be read for the third time.