INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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roll printing, pre-shrinking by several processes under licence, and polymerizing for the production of drip-dry fabrics. Increasing attention is also being given to finishing of synthetic materials and a major new finishing plant specializing in the finishing of synthetic fabrics was opened at Kwai Chung in November 1965.
The manufacture of garments remains the largest sector within the industry, employing 72,000 workers. A wide range and variety of clothing, from high fashion dresses to cotton singlets, is produced for export all over the world. Embroidered blouses, beaded or sequinned woollen cardigans, silk and brocade, and evening coats have worldwide popularity. Custom and mail order tailoring, princi- pally of men's suits, has rapidly developed in recent years into an important branch of industry. Knitting mills produce towels, tee- shirts, underwear and nightwear, swimsuits, gloves, socks and stockings in cotton, silk, wool and other fabrics. Production and export of knitted woollen and acrylic knitwear, especially for women, has shown phenomenal growth in recent years. From a total of $862 million in 1961, the value of exports of clothing has risen to $1,760 million in 1965, produced by some 1,100 factories.
OTHER LIGHT INDUSTRIES
In the ever-widening range of light industry the most prominent, after textiles, is the manufacture of plastic articles. Skill in the cutting of moulds and dies, together with the ability to meet short orders, have resulted in increased exports of a very wide variety of products. These include artificial flowers, toys and dolls, household ware, household furniture of polypropylene, and PVC sheeting and coated fabrics. The industry manufactured exports worth some $700 million during the year.
There has been spectacular growth in the electronics industry. The manufacture or assembly of transistor radios began only in 1959, but since then exports of transistor radios have increased to reach a total of 5.7 million sets worth $118 million in 1965. The industry exports to 64 countries, but its principal markets are the United Kingdom and the United States. The manufacture of elec- tronic component parts has also made rapid progress. Silicon transistors and diodes, condensers and capacitors, transformers and resistors are now produced and exported. Other electronic products