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THE TE BETWEEN JAPAN AND HONG KONG HAS INCREASED BY 16 TIMES
SO THAT LAST YEAR IT APPROACHED US DOLLARS 1,600 MILLION.
3,
THE INDUSTRY OF HONG KONG HAS DEVELOPED RAPIDLY AND THE QUALITY
OF ITS PRODUCTS HAS STEADILY IMPROVED. THIS HAS PRODUCED AN
INCREASING DEMAND FOR MORE SOPHISTICATED CAPITAL EQUIPMENT AND FOR
SEMI-PROCESSED INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS. THIS DEMAND JAPAN HAS
DEEN ABLE TO MEET TO OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT. IN ADDITION, THE STEADY
GROWTH OF THE ECONOMY AND THE RISING STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE PEOPLE
OF HONG KONG HAVE PRODUCED A RISING DEMAND FOR SUCH JAPANESE
PRODUCTS AS CAMERAS, REFRIGERATORS, TELEVISION SETS AND MOTOR CARS.
IN 1972 JAPANESE EXPORTS TO HONG KONG HAVE AMOUNTED TO ABOUT US
DOLLARS 880 MILLION.
4. TRADE IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION FROM HONG KONG TO JAPAN HAS NOT BEN
SO DRAMATIC, AND AMOUNTED LAST YEAR TO US DOLLARS 85 MILLION. OUR
TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL NOW HAS A PERMANENT OFFICE IN TOKYO
AND OUR EXPORTERS ARE ACTIVE IN SOLICITING BUSINESS IN JAPAN,
AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THEY WILL HAVE SOME SUCCESS. I THINK THERE
MUST BE MANY HONG KONG PRODUCTS WHICH WOULD SELL VELL IN JAPAN TO
THE SATISFACTION OF CONSUMERS AND WITHOUT DAMAGE TO JAPANESE
MANUFACTURERS.
5. IN THIS CONNECTION I WAS VERY GLAD TO KNOW THAT THE COVERIMENT OF JAPAN HAS RECENTLY INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF MEASURES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE IMPORTS, INCLUDING REDUCTIONS IN CERTAIN TARRIFS AND THE REMOVAL OF QUANTITATIVE IMPORTS RESTRICTIONS ON OTHER
PRODUCTS. WE IN HONG KONG WELCOME THESE ROVES, WHICH, IF
I MIGHT SAY SO, ARE TYPICAL OF THE WISDOM OF JAPANESE ECONOMIC
ADMINISTRATION. IF THEY ALLOW HONG KONG EXPORTS TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE IN JAPAN, THEY WILL GREATLY IMPROVE MOT ONLY RESPECT FOR JAPAN IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE, BUT ALSO THAT HIGHLY FRAGILE
COMMODITY GOOD WILL
6. I AM VERY GLAD THAT SO MANY JAPANESE TOURISTS VISIT HONG KONG, ABOUT 400.000 CAME LAST YEAR, AND I HOPE THAT THEY ENJOYED THEN- SELVE?. THEY ARE EXTREMELY WELCOME. OVER ONE MILLION TOURISTS VISITED HONG KONG LAST YEAR, AND I CREATLY ENJOYED RECEIVING THE MILLIONTH, BY SOME STRANGE CO-INCIDENCE SHE HAPPENED TO BE A REMARK ABLY PRETTY GIRL. WE ARE EXPECTING MANY JAPANESE TO COME TO THE INTER ATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 1 Hai KORD, FEDPUANY AND MARCH JY P
WITC, S.... OF THE MOST FUNDUS ARTISTY TE TOC WOULD OF MUSIC ANG
BALL. ANT RAMA VILL
*O THE NEW
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