Trade Promotion
Greater emphasis than ever before was placed on Hong Kong's trade promotion in 1966. In April a Trade Development Office was opened and operated on a provisional basis until the Hong Kong Trade Development Council was established by Ordinance at the end of September. The Council is financed partly from general revenue and partly by means of an ad valorem levy on imports, exports and re-exports. Its functions are to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's overseas trade, with particular reference to exports. It also makes recommendations_to_the_government on any measures which it considers would achieve an increase in Hong Kong's trade. A very vigorous export programme was immediately launched, In June, Hong Kong took part in the Barcelona Interna- tional Samples Fair with a Delegation of 27 and a pavilion covering 8,000 square feet. In September and November similar displays were mounted at St Erik's Fair in Stockholm and the First Asian International Trade Fair in
Bangkok. More than 2,000 products were shown at each fair and results sur- passed all expectations. In Stockholm, for instance,
more than 6,000 in- quiries were received about Hong Kong products and contracts concluded during the 12-day fair, or result- ing directly from it, totalled $51 million. Large displays of
Hong Kong
goods were
mounted by Macy's in New York and 10 other big American cities, by Self- ridge's in London and by Breuninger's in Stuttgart. All reported good business.