The Government has rejected a call by New World Development for subsidies to support a Chinese medicine 'port'.
Director General of Industry Francis Ho Suen-wai said yesterday the project should be initiated by the private sector rather than the Government.
'The Government's role should be facilitating, co-operating, regulating and providing the necessary infrastructure for the development of the Chinese medicine port.' Mr Ho said the Government had no plan to set up a commission to lead the project.
Nor had the Government held talks with any interested developers on granting land or financial subsidies to support the development.
'Chinese medicine is a brand new industry to us, no one really knows how to do it. We are still studying it,' he said.
His comments come after New World managing director Henry Cheng Kar-shun last week urged the Government to provide subsidies in the form of a land grant or by adopting policies favourable to the project.