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Industry leader makes rare attack on government

Paggie Leung

The new chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries has launched a rare attack on the government for not paying enough attention to the industrial sector and has urged it to set up a development council to lend better support.

'We hope the government can establish a council similar to the Trade Development Council for the sector ... which can offer a platform for officials and industrialists to formulate and discuss related policies,' Cliff Sun Kai-lit told the South China Morning Post. He was elected chairman of the federation, one of the city's biggest trade organisations, earlier this month.

'We have a feeling that the government has not attached enough importance to the industrial sector,' said Mr Sun, who is also a committee member of the government's business facilitation advisory committee and the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

The sector had complained about the administration abolishing the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau two years ago and replacing it with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, with the word 'industry' omitted from the title, the veteran industrialist said.

Mr Sun said setting up a council for the sector could enhance closer government ties, especially when the bureau oversaw 'too many areas'. He was supported by Paul Yin Tek-sing, president of another large trade group, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong. Mr Yin criticised the government for having no industrial policy and said it should at least set up an industrial development committee, if not a council.

Mr Sun said that despite many factories relocating to the mainland, the sector was still vital to Hong Kong.

A spokeswoman for the bureau said it maintained close and frequent contact with the sector and always welcomed any views. It provided support measures through eight relevant departments and agencies, such as the Trade and Industry Department, which had the expertise and resources to offer appropriate help.

Mr Sun also said government officials should have more vision, in an apparent criticism of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen for his brief presence at a forum in which Guangdong Vice-Governor Wan Qingliang and leaders of the nine Pearl River Delta municipalities also took part in Hong Kong last week.

'Mr Tsang ... left right after giving the opening speech. He should have at least sat for another three minutes and listened to the vice-governor's speech before leaving. Then I'd feel he showed some respect,' he said. 'He chose to come but did not give the vice-governor face. Others will treat us Hong Kong businessmen the way they are treated.'

Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen and other officials stayed until the end of the programme. The Chief Executive's Office said the event schedule and Mr Tsang's participation had been agreed by the Hong Kong and Guangdong governments.

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce chairman Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, who also attended the event, said Mr Tsang's appearance showed that he respected it. Mr Choi noted that Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua , who held the same rank as Mr Tsang, had been absent.

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