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ANTI-DUMPING
SOUTH AFRICA
The South Africans are suspicious of low cost imports from Hong Kong, and suspect Hong Kong of dumping. It has been difficult to refute this allegation because of Hong Kong's lack of a domestic mar- ket, with which to obtain a comparable domestic value.
At Hong Kong's invitation South Africa sent a delegation of offi- cials to Hong Kong in June to "see for themselves". Judging only by a letter of 24 July from Hong Kong to Pretoria, copied to us in September, the visit went off reasonably well, although the delegation had been badly briefed in advance. It seems that the South Africans received a favourable impression of Hong Kong production techniques and methods, and were subjected to considerable indoctrination on the question of the validity of Hong Kong Certificates of Origin. that letter we have heard no more from either party.
Since
AUSTRIA
Due to the merger of the Offices, certain files concerning Austrian anti-dumping legislation are at present unavailable. How- ever, under pressure from domestic industries, Austria, early in 1967, introduced anti-dumping legislation. Hong Kong has been particularly concerned with the effect of this on its exports of woollen knitwear.
The present position is unclear but we understand that a Mr. Pearson on extension 2339, of the Board of Trade is dealing with this matter, and is particularly concerned about the wording of the Austrian legislation, which provides, in his view, a dangerous prece- dent for other Western European countries,
DISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION
ALGERIA
Algeria has a very stringent import regime, which, together with the application of a triple rate of general tariff instead of most- favoured-nation rates to Hong Kong, has had a very harmful effect on Hong Kong's trade, which shows a decline of 95 per cent between the first half of 1967, compared with the same period of 1968.
This again is a case where Hong Kong wishes to protest mainly "for the record", It is recognised that the restoration of m,f.n. rates will probably have little effect on Hong Kong's export trade to Algeria, but she feels that she should take all the advantages offered to her under GATT.
At present the position rests with a letter from Hong Kong to our Embassy in Algiers, seeking advice on the present situation and on the advisability and usefulness of further representations at present.
IRELAND
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