Souch China Morning
6/12/71
Love
Mystery journey gives worry to
HK textile men
Textile manufacturers are worried by the sudden departure of the Financial Secretary for London.
Mr C.P. Haddon-Cave was accompanied by the Deputy Director of Commerce and Industry, Mr E.P. Ho, who has championed Hongkong's case in America and Canada recently.
The two officials are to hold talks in Whitehall on the future
By BRUCE MAXWELL
of Hongkong's exports of woven cotton textiles to the United Kingdom.
In July 1969 the U.K. Government annonced that the general quota system for imports of woven cotton textiles would end on January 1, 1972, and be replaced by a tariff.
The tariff was understood to be in the region of 15 per cent.
Taken alone this is fine, but some sources are suggesting that both tariffs and quotas may now be imposed from January 1.
This would be a considerable blow to manufacturers already smarting under the American
"agreements,"
Since the American action, textile industries in various countries served by Hongkong exporters have been groaning and grumbling about their respective markets being "swamped."
Taking the American lead, they have been jumping on the nationalistic bandwaggon and hoping for benefits similar to the protectionist agreements already,
Canada and Australia' were particularly quick off the mark, although moves in Australia reported by news agencies later appeared to be far less than substantial.
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The British textile industry also joined the clamour,
although it seems less likely that stringent moves will be made.
However textile men are asking why Mr Haddon-Cave and Mr Ho found it necessary to leave so rapidly for talks on what was until now an understood situation.
Has the textile lobby in the British Parliament managed to tip the scales in the absence of a Hongkong lobby? they ask.
Whatever the case, Our mission to London is expected to sort out the situation this week.
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