AUSTRALIAN Minister for Communications David Beddall said in Hong Kong yesterday that his Government wanted to increase sales of telecommunications to the region five-fold by 1997.
Mr Beddall said sales to Asia had touched A$380 million (about HK$1.9 billion) last year, and the target for 1997 was $2 billion, although progress was being slowed by import restrictions.
However, $200 million of last year's figure came from Alcatel Australia, the local subsidiary of a European group.
Mr Beddall is leading a trade delegation of 25 companies to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia, and will also visit Singapore to discuss broadcasting.
He said SBS, a state-owned TV station that uses 50 per cent non-English programmes, was interested in co-production ventures with local companies as it found producing its own Cantonese and Mandarin programmes too costly.
He is also talking to Star TV and Wharf Cable about digital TV technology while in Hong Kong.
