The bank therefore contributes to ensuring that the mediation of capital in the economy functions efficiently; it is sufficient that borrowers can convince the bank of their creditworthiness, they do not need to convince each individual saver. Similarly, savers do not have to assess the creditworthiness of every borrower; it is enough to be satisfied of the bank's solvency. The banks can also supply payment services for households and companies by using the existing financial infrastructure, such as accounts and various routines for transferring funds between financial institutions. As these functions are central to an efficient economy, it is evident that major problems can arise if financial stability is upset. This is aptly illustrated by, for instance, the crises in South East Asia at the  BIS Review 52/2006  3  end of the 1990s and by the bank crisis that Sweden and other countries suffered at the beginning of that same decade. While the target of maintaining price stability is relatively straightforward and intuitive, it is more difficult to specify the task of promoting financial stability. This task has also been formulated in slightly different ways in different central banks’ regulations. For instance, the Bank of England’s charter says that it is ”responsible for the overall stability of the financial system as a whole”, while the corresponding task in the regulations for Sweden’s Riksbank has been expressed in a more indirect manner: ”to promote the efficiency and safety of the payment system”.
But what some of you may know is that he has had a very long involvement in, and influence on, monetary issues here in Hong Kong. This began almost exactly twenty years ago when Hong Kong, suffering from a crisis of confidence in its political future, and without any effective form of monetary control, was on the brink of a financial meltdown. The exchange rate was depreciating sharply and Charles was brought in from the Bank of England to advise us on how Hong Kong could be rescued. He gave valuable advice on a proposal to return to a fixed exchange rate system through the currency board arrangement of linking the Hong Kong dollar to the US dollar. As you all know, that exchange rate link was subsequently established, in October 1983, and it is still in operation now. It commands a high degree of confidence and credibility. It has served Hong Kong extremely well in the past twenty years. In his advice, Charles also covered other strategic issues of central banking for Hong Kong. As the only remaining person in the public sector continuously involved in this area of work from then until now, I can say with some authority that the views of Charles have exerted much influence on the development of the monetary system of Hong Kong. I do not know whether you remember, Charles, your piece of advice to the then Financial Secretary, the late Sir John Bremridge, written on 6 October 1983.