6
our predominant share of the Community market. We think it
is unfair to attack Hong Kong's position or to suggest that
if Hong Kong were restrained more severely, then other
developing countries could benefit at our expense. This
concept of doubly penalising the successful to win political
credit with the less successful seems to us basically dishonest.
We feel that if the objective of the developed countries is
really to assist the less developed among the developing
countries, then the textiles and clothing exports of these
developing countries ought to be allowed to grow, if they can,
in competition with established suppliers. It is not reasonable
to say that they should first be placed under restraint and
then allowed artificially induced growth at the expense of Hong
Kong.
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What we are seeking is that H.M. Government should
reconsider a textiles policy which in our view will not benefit
UK producers but will in its application cause damage to Hong
Kong's textiles and clothing trade industry and consequently
impede Hong Kong's continued economic progress on which all of
our social, education, and housing programmes depend. We are
conscious of the benefits which Hong Kong and the UK have both
enjoyed through our special relation ship. We are aware that
because of this special relationship, the UK has done a lot to
obtain for Hong Kong the same terms as other developing countries
in the EEC's generalised system of preferences. Although there is
still some way to go before we are on equal footing with other
developing countries, we appreciate what has already been done.
Having observed developments in recent months regarding
the future of the MFA and the possibility which has been mentioned
of Hong Kong being asked to accept much worse terms in a new
14
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