UNCLASSIFIED
FM WASHINGTON
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 77
OF 13234OZ JANUARY 92
UNCLASSIFIED
M. Cox
(see
Herit "Mauert"
destals
Mr. Stane
HAB0911
HAB
175074
091 MDLIAN 6762
TOP COPY
DISTAN
Энка
Q DISTR
колбой
a
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, DTI, ACTOR
US/CHINA: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TRADE DISPUTE: EFFECT ON HONG KONG
SUMMARY
WE REMIND USTR OF OUR CONCERNS REGARDING HONG KONG'S TRADE.
CRITICAL PERIOD IN THE DISPUTE.
1.
DETAIL
2.
MINISTER (COMMERCIAL) CALLED ON MOSKOW (DEPUTY USTR) ON 13 JANUARY TO REITERATE HMG'S CONCERN THAT ANY TRADE ACTION AGAINST CHINA IN THE US SPECIAL 301 (INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY) DISPUTE SHOULD
BE FRAMED SO AS TO MINIMISE COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO HONG KONG'S RE-EXPORT TRADE. MINISTER (COMMERCIAL) SPOKE TO HONG KONG'S
DIPLOMATIC NOTE OF 2 JANUARY TO THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL. WE HOPED THESE POINTS, AND THE PRODUCT/TRADE LISTS ATTACHED TO HONG KONG'S NOTE, WOULD BE TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT IF THE US MOVED TO RETALIATION (MRS HILLS HAS SAID A DECISION WILL BE MADE ON 16 JANUARY).
3. MOSKOW THANKED US FOR REITERATING OUR CONCERNS OF WHICH USTR
WERE WELL AWARE. THESE WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT: ''WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO'' HE COULD NOT SAY HOW THE DISPUTE WOULD COME OUT. USTR STAFF WERE STILL SLOGGING AWAY WITH THE CHINESE TRADE TEAM (WHOSE VISIT HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO ALLOW NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE). THERE WAS NO (NO) BREAK-THROUGH YET.
4.
1
AT PUBLIC HEARINGS LAST WEEK A NUMBER OF HONG KONG TRADE ASSOCIATION GAVE EVIDENCE AGAINST TRADE ACTION IN SECTORS OF IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY. US IMPORTERS SPOKE IN SIMILAR
VEIN.
RENWICK
YYYY
1
PAGE
UNCLASSIFIED