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2
HK has neer? then 3x the par copita CNP that I kiven his.
a) ICL (India) supplied punched cards to the Hong
Kong Immigration service which proved thoroughly unsatisfactory and caused the machines to jam;
b) The Hong Kong Public Works Department have been forced (they say) to buy Japanese because RHP will not provide, despite direct personal requests. When RHP will quote, it is for 12 months delivery, which all too often proves to be 15;
c) Japanese and British televisions are said to be
currently more or less competitive with each other in the Hong Kong market, both on price and other grounds.
John Cohen is no doubt including a passage on GSP in Kr Deakins' brief. The point which is likely to be put to him on behalf of Hong Kong is that the present GSP serves to discriminate against Hong Kong in favour of such countries as South Korea which are only marginally less prosperous (and which, unlike Hong Kong as a British Colony, have no special links with the Community); and that Hong Kong, despite its apparent competitiveness, needs to maximise its foreign exchange cornings to maintain employment (real incomes have, in fact, recently fallen) and to improve Housing and Social Security arrangements. Mr Deakins should be advised to listen sympathetically, and say that this is just the kind of argument which we are putting to the Commission and our Community partners.
I should be glad if John Cohen would get copies of this letter to Eric Wright, John Ingram, Ton Harris and E I D, F C 0.
CVR: dh
C W Roberts
CONFIDENTIAL