WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1975
HONG KONG STUDY TRIPS ADVOCATED FOR EEC OFFICIALS
HONG KONG SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER BRINGING OFFICIALS FROM E.E.C. MEMBER STATES TO HONG KONG TO ENABLE THEM TO BECOME BETTER INFORMED ABOUT THE LOCAL FOOTWEAR AND TEXTILES INDUSTRIES, THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN TOLD-LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TODAY.
IN HIS OPINION, THE DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT METED OUT TO HONG KONG UNDER THE E.E.C.'S GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES WAS +LARGELY THE RESULT OF UNINFORMED OPINIONS ABOUT HONG KONG.+
SUCH IMPRESSIONS COULD BE CORRECTED BY A VISIT BY E.E.C. OFFICIALS, HE SAID, STRESSING THAT WAYS AND MEANS SHOULD BE FOUND, DESPITE FINANCIAL STRINGENCY, TO MAKE SUCH VISITS POSSIDLE.
+THE BENEFITS CAN GO WELL BEYOND THE QUESTION OF GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES IN THAT WE CAN AT THE SAME TIME ACHIEVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE OFFICIALS, WITH WHOM HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE DEALINGS IN G.S.P. AND ALSO OTHER TRADE HATTERS,+ HE ADDED.
MR. TIEN NOTED THAT TRADE, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO TRADE, WERE DIRECTLY RELATED WITH THE WELL BEING, THE STATE OF EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT, AND OTHER ECONOMIC FACTS OF LIFE IN HONG KONG.
+WE SHOULD BE SEEN TO BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG'S TRADING INTERESTS ARE BEING PROTECTED IN A WAY WHICH THE PUBLIC WOULD EXPECT US TO.+
MR. TIEN EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS IN TRYING TO IMPROVE HONG KONG'S POSITION IN THE COMMUNITY'S SCHEME OF PREFERENCES, AND WAS SURE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY WAS DOING EVERYTHING HE COULD IN THIS REGARD.
MR. TIEN ALSO APPRECIATED THE IMPORTANCE THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES TO. THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE E.E.C. OVER HONG KONG TEXTILE EXPORTS AS REFLECTED IN THE STRONG AND SKILFUL NEGOTIATION TEAMS FIELDED BY HONG KONG.
HE HOPED THAT AN EQUALLY STRONG LOCAL TEAM WOULD BE FORMED FOR THE THIRD ROUND OF TALKS IN BRUSSELS NEXT MONTH.
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