INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Indian Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce issue certificates of Hong Kong origin which are acceptable in varying degrees overseas. Many overseas authorities, however, require imports of Hong Kong products to be covered by certificates of origin issued by the Com- merce and Industry Department. During the year, exports of goods certified by the department to be of Hong Kong origin were valued at $1,269 million.
The department also issues certificates to enable Hong Kong products to claim preferential rates of duty on entry into Britain and those Commonwealth territories which grant preference to Hong Kong. Commonwealth preference certificates indicate Com- monwealth or Hong Kong content in the goods covered and are issued against either specific undertakings to use certain Com- monwealth raw materials or detailed cost statements prepared by public accountants approved for the purpose. Exports to Com- monwealth territories including Britain covered by Commonwealth preference certificates were valued at $1,089 million.
United States law prohibits the importation of goods presumed to originate from the People's Republic of China, North Korea or North Vietnam, unless evidence is produced to the contrary. As Hong Kong manufacturers produce and process a great variety of the same kind of goods, the department issues comprehensive certificates of origin as the evidence required to enable these goods to enter the United States, and keeps under continuous review the procedures to establish this evidence. During the year, goods valued at $779 million were exported to the United States and its dependencies under comprehensive certificates of origin.
ADMINISTRATION
The Commerce and Industry Department is concerned with all matters affecting trade and industry, except labour. It has four divisions which cover trade development, export promotion, textiles and certification, and controls. In addition there is a statistical branch.
The Development Division keeps a watch on measures adopted by overseas countries which may affect Hong Kong. It studies the