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Wu moves to calm furore over link plan 2.
Finance chief backs Zhuhai bridge 3.
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Microsoft sends out XP update to comply with deal
1. Wu moves to calm furore over link plan Hopewell
Holdings chairman Gordon Wu yesterday sought to defuse a row with port operators
over the 15 billion yuan (HK$14.15 billion) Zhuhai-Macau-Hong Kong bridge proposal
by saying it would not be subsidised by the container terminals industry. Wu said
``it was totally astonishing'' that allegations had been made suggesting construction
of the link could be subsidised, with the government providing premium-free land
for the development of new container terminals. ``I never ever mentioned or even
thought the bridge should be subsidised'' either by the port terminal operators
or the Hong Kong or Guangdong governments, he said. ``The bridge and the port
are two separate issues.'' Hopewell Holdings executive director Leo Leung told
The Standard that 98 per cent of the 28-kilometre bridge would be built in mainland
waters and could be financed either by government or the private sector. Hopewell
has also proposed an alternative combined bridge and tunnel link which would provide
all-weather access. ``We are confident we could get a capital return after eight
to 10 years. It is not a financial issue, it is not a technical issue, it is a
political issue,'' Leung said. ``Purely and simply its whether the government
has the vision and guts to take it forward. It's not a question of money. It needs
a leader to take it forward,'' he said. Hopewell was reacting to statements by
Hutchison Whampoa group managing director Canning Fok and the Hong Kong Container
Terminal Operators' Association opposing moves to change the present system of
developing container terminals. The association, which represents Wharf's Modern
Terminals, CSX World Terminals and Li Ka-shing's Hongkong International Terminals,
said it was not against development of the bridge. But association executive director
Henry Lee told The Standard the group was opposed to ``proposals that changed
the government's port development policy so as to create an unfair situation for
the existing players''. ``We only want fair competition,'' Lee added. Asked if
there were any behind-the-scenes moves to change existing policy, Lee said: ``That's
why we have voiced our opinion. We don't want to be caught by surprise.'' Insiders
said port operators were alarmed by the apparent involvement of Sun Hung Kai Properties
in the project. Gordon Wu is married to Ivy Kwok, sister of Thomas, Raymond and
Walter Kwok, the three brothers who control Sun Hung Kai. When plans for the Pearl
River estuary bridge were mooted more than six years ago, the plan was for it
to be routed through Lingdingyang Island where Sun Hung Kai was keen to build
a port and commercial facility. ``It was thought at the time the port complex
would serve both Hong Kong and the western side of Guangdong province,'' one source
said. ``Eventually Hong Kong port operators would be encouraged to move from Kwai
Chung which would be redeveloped. The project died but there is obviously still
concern Sun Hung Kai could develop port facilities in the Pearl River estuary
that could pose a threat to Kwai Chung.'' Secretary for Environment, Transport
and Works Sarah Liao ruled out any long-term moves to subsidise infrastructure
projects saying they would hurt sustainable development in Hong Kong. Asked whether
the government would support construction of the bridge, Liao said no talks had
been held with mainland officials relating to construction of the bridge. But
a senior government source said: ``Our response to Sir Gordon is that eventually
the bridge will be needed.'' He said plans for the bridge were considered in 1997
as part of a study of future cross-boundary infrastructure connection requirements.
But the Shenzhen western corridor linking Tuen Mun and Shekou which is due for
completion by 2006, was a higher priority. National People's Congress deputy Victor
Sit backed Hopewell's bridge proposal, especially given that Guangdong was shifting
its development focus to the western side of the estuary. ``I'm pretty certain
there is a general consensus that a fixed crossing is needed and needed pretty
soon,'' he said. [Source:
The Standard, 29 August 2002]
2. Finance chief backs Zhuhai bridge The
financial secretary yesterday stepped into the controversy over whether a bridge
should be built linking Hong Kong with the western part of the Pearl River Delta,
saying it was necessary in the long term. But Antony Leung Kam-chung said it was
too early to say whether the government would provide subsidies for the project.
"As the logistics centre of the south of China, Hong Kong's transportation
links to the periphery [are] very important for both people and goods . . . In
the long term a bridge is necessary," he said. "We have already [got
plans to build] a lot on the north side of Hong Kong. For example, the route to
Shekou and the expressway to Guangzhou which are now under discussion. But the
only means of transport to the western part of the Pearl River Delta is by ship.
Therefore the bridge is necessary in the long term." Asked if the government
would provide subsidies, he said: "We are now at a stage of studying whether
it is viable. It is too early to talk about subsidies." A dispute broke out
on Tuesday when Canning Fok Kin-ning, managing director of Hutchison Whampoa,
warned that government subsidies for a 29km bridge to link Zhuhai, Macau and Chek
Lap Kok airport would damage the SAR's economic system. His warning came after
Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, chairman of Hopewell Holdings, announced he would seek
private funding to support the $15 billion project, which he has long championed.
Mr Fok, while saying he supported the bridge in principle, said Hong Kong's free-economy
system would be at risk if the government subsidised one industry at the expense
of another. Hutchison remains firmly against the construction of more container
terminals on Lantau at the eastern end of the proposed bridge, as Sir Gordon advocates.
Hong Kong's largest terminal operator claims that, based on five per cent annual
growth in container throughput, no new terminals will be needed until 2016. It
is understood Hutchison fears that if the bridge is built, containers may have
to go to terminals near the new link rather than existing port facilities at Kwai
Chung and Tsing Yi. It is thought the government would come under pressure to
invite terminal management companies not operating at the port to bid for any
new facilities if the bridge were built, and thereby break what many see as the
present container-handling duopoly between Hutchison and Wharf. Hutchison's distaste
for new terminals may also extend to its sister company, Cheung Kong, whose massive
property investments would come under pressure if Zhuhai and Macau effectively
became suburbs of Hong Kong. Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works
Sarah Liao Sau-tung yesterday expressed caution on the bridge proposal, saying
both the Guangdong authorities and Beijing should be consulted. Sir Gordon meanwhile
denied his company had demanded the Hong Kong government provide any form of subsidy
for it to build the bridge. "I am glad to hear Mr Fok now says he's not against
the bridge. It means we are a step closer," Sir Gordon said on RTHK. "We
have never wanted government subsidies. That's been our position from day one,"
he added. "The bridge and additional ports are two totally different issues,
although both are necessary for Hong Kong. But we do not need any government subsidies
on the bridge." It could well be a purely private sector investment, he said.
Sir Gordon said the proposed bridge would induce growth in the Pearl River Delta
and generate "a bigger pie for all". Under Sir Gordon's proposal, Hong
Kong would only need to build a 9km coastal road along northern Lantau to connect
with the bridge, which would cost less than $4 billion. 
[Source:
SCMP, 29 August 2002]
3. SCMP Cartoon
 [Source:
SCMP, 29 August 2002]
4. Microsoft sends out XP update to comply with deal In
an effort to comply with the terms of its antitrust consent decree agreement with
the United States Justice Department, Microsoft plans to distribute its first
large update to the Windows XP operating system sometime in the next 10 days.
The company will make a slight change in the desktop appearance of the Windows
XP operating system, which was introduced last October. A new feature will make
it possible for computer makers to selectively hide and display Microsoft's integrated
programs displayed on the start menu of the operating system, including its Internet
Explorer Web browser, Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger programs. During
the bitter federal antitrust trial, Microsoft had argued that such a change would
cripple its operating system. The change will make it possible for hardware vendors
to customize their systems by striking business deals to include alternative programs
from such companies as America Online, Real Networks and others. It will also
permit computer users to re-select the hidden Microsoft programs if they choose.
The change is part of a series of steps Microsoft said it would take as part of
the antitrust consent decree with the Justice Department, signed in November of
last year. Separately, the company has agreed to publicly document its programs,
licence certain protocols and establish an internal education and compliance effort.
Microsoft also said it would redistribute the company's version of the Sun Java
software engine. In addition to its efforts to comply with the Justice Department,
Microsoft executives on Tuesday said the new operating system update, known as
Service Pack 1, is an instrumental component of three large office and consumer
efforts that are intended to move personal computer capabilities beyond the desktop
PC. Microsoft said it planned to introduce Windows XP Media Centre, software for
PCs that adds television and other digital media functions; Windows XP Tablet
PC, for portable computers to support handwriting interfaces; and Windows Powered
Smart Display, for portable screens intended to work remotely with a desktop PC
via a wireless connection ,this autumn. The new software release which will be
available as a free online download, through computer hardware vendors, from Microsoft
on CD for US$9.95 and in October through retailers as part of the complete operating
system - contains security patches and bug fixes as well as a series of new features. [Source:
SCMP, 29 August 2002] |  |
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