INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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Hong Kong also took part in the annual St Erik's Trade Fair in Stockholm, which was held in September 1960. The Colony's first venture into the growing Scandinavian markets was well received and the delegation, led by Mr J. D. Clague, CBE, MC, received over 700 inquiries from 328 buyers. The design of the stand was again made locally and was a modification of that for Seattle. During the fair the leader and two other members of the delegation took the opportunity of visiting Helsinki where they had useful discussions with prominent merchants and officials on trade between Finland and Hong Kong. All the inquiries registered at St Erik's and the Washington State Fair were sent back daily by airmail to the Commerce and Industry Department, which relayed them through trade channels to manufacturers and exporters.
In addition to these major items in the 1960 trade promotion programme, officials visited Vancouver, Milan, Palermo and Rome to obtain first hand information about the international trade fairs regularly held in these cities.
The Export Promotion Branch of the Commerce and Industry Department is responsible for organizing the Colony's participation in overseas trade fairs and also publishes and distributes the annual Commerce, Industry and Finance Directory and the monthly Trade Bulletin. The Directory is a comprehensive guide to Hong Kong business in its economic and administrative setting; the 1960 edition was published in May. The Trade Bulletin is a general magazine guide to the Colony's products and each month features different aspects of the commercial and industrial scene. Both these publications are illustrated in colour and are distributed free to overseas businessmen.
Trade inquiries are always welcome at the Export Promotion Branch and in 1960 they came as usual from all parts of the world. In many instances the Branch was able to assist with advice and introductions to manufacturers and exporters.
Statistics. Every month the Statistical Office of the Commerce and Industry Department publishes 'commodity by country' statistics of the quantity and value of all goods imported, of the Colony's domestic exports, and of all re-exports; these are classified