10
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
goods accounted for about 10% of the Colony's exports; in 1952 the figure had risen to perhaps 25%.
But it needed fresh efforts to convince the world that these exports of Hong Kong products which were arriving in increasing quantities in overseas markets did really come from Hong Kong. The first general overseas reaction was that the goods were merely re-exports of Japanese products falsely declared and label- led in order to enjoy the advantages of Imperial Preference. There followed allegations of pirating of trade marks and designs, based on a few discovered cases. Then, as the critics became convinced that there was in fact a wide range of industrial production in Hong Kong, accusations were made that wages and other conditions of employment in the Colony were so inferior as to constitute unfair competition.
In the face of these attacks and in view of the fact that materials for industry had to be imported, some in a semi-manufactured state, the certification of goods as genuine Hong Kong products for acceptance in overseas markets became of increasing impor- tance. As in the case of the Foreign Assets Control Regulations mentioned above, an elaborate system of checks and inspections of factories registered for certificates of origin and Imperial Preference certificates was enforced.
Apart from the development of the certificate of origin proce- dures, helping local industry by showing the world that 'Hong Kong can make it' has been a preoccupation of the Government over the past ten years. Individual manufacturers, many merchant firms, the various Chambers of Commerce, the Chinese Manufac- turers' Association, and the Hong Kong 'Exporters' Association have all played a prominent part in gaining the interest of overseas buyers. In many ways the best ambassadors have been the goods themselves-attractive in price and improving each year in quality.
As a further means of supporting the export drive, the Govern- ment embarked on an extensive publicity campaign, both by way of attendance at trade fairs and the publication of trade journals. Similar efforts have been made by local commercial and industrial organizations.
The first real expression of the policy on trade fairs was the Colony's participation in the 1948 British Industries Fair. There