GVA/1/2
26
30 January
x 70
In the course of the very useful discussions we had in your Office earlier this week you will recall that you referred to the "exceptional" figures of EC imports of cotton textiles from Hong Kong in 1969 and that these had increased by 28% compared with 1968.
2. It subsequently transpired that the figures you were using for the whole year 1969 were not definitive but that they were based on an extrapolation of the actual position for the first nine months of the year. My colleague, Mr. Dorward, then read out statistics of Hong Kong's cotton textile exports to the Community in the years 1967, 68 and 69. These seemed to show that there had been no spectacular increase in these exports over the period in question, the 1969 figure being no more than about 5% higher than that for 1968.
3. As far as I can remember the figures in question were not handed over to you at the time and, as you indicated that the Commission would be reviewing the position in the light of what had been said, I thought that you would like to have them in writing. They are as follows: -
Hong Kong's Exports of Cotton Textiles to the SEC
metric tons
1967
10.690
1968
11,313
1969
11,956
4. I hope that this information will show you that 1969 wes not an unusually good year as far as Hong Kong was concerned, as might be expected from the fact that about 80% of her exports of cotton textiles to the Community are subject to control in some form or another.
5. May I take this opportunity of thanking you and your colleagues for the hospitality you extended to us and to say that we look forward to the further discussions between us which the two sides agreed should be held some time in March.
Mr. Wolfgang Ernst,
EEC Commission,
Avenue de la Loi,
Brussels.
(D.J.C. Jones)
Counsellor (Hong Kong Affairs)