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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1976
HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT FOR AN ASSURANCE THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS BEING AND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE GIVEN RESOURCES ADEQUATE TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AT HOME AND ABROAD,
TURNING TO THE TEXTILE CONTROL SYSTEM, MR, TIEN FELT THAT THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED MODIFICATIONS TO THE SYSTEM WERE REASONABLE DESPITE CRITICISM THAT NO PROVISION WAS MADE FOR NEW COMERS.
+THEY HAVE MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE SO-CALLED QUOTA FARMERS TO CONTINUE IN THEIR RATHER UNIQUE TRADE. TO KEEP THE QUOTAS, THEY MUST BECOME TEXTILE TRADERS AGAIN, HE POINTED OUT.
EMPHASISING THAT HE WAS NOT DEFENDING THE SYSTEM, MR. TIEN SAID: +MY CONCERN IS HONG KONG'S ECONOMY, WHICH IN TURN MEANS EXPORTS AND, IN TERMS OF COLD CASH, TEXTILE EXPORTS GIVE HONG KONG A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF OF ITS EARNINGS FROM OVERSEAS TRADE.
+WE CANNOT AFFORD TO TURN THE TEXTILE CONTROL SYSTEM INTO A SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM NOR INTO A PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME HE STRESSED.
+TEXTILE QUOTAS ARE NOT GIVEN ON THE SAY SO OF COMPANIES THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT. THEY ARE ALLOCATED ON THE BASIS OF A DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO USE THEM.+
MR. TIEN SAID, LET THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS, EARNED HONG KONG A RESPECTED PLACE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE
IN TEXTILES CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY.
+ THE SYSTEM STILL HAS IMPERFECTIONS BUT IT HAS SERVED ITS PURPOSE BY CONTRIBUTING TO HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY.
MR. TIEN SAID THAT THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED FOR THE GOOD OF HONG KONG AS A WHOLE, TO ENABLE THE MAXIMUM USE OF THE LIMITED EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE UNDER THE RESTRAINT AGREEMENTS AND FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH OPPORTUNITIES FAIRLY AMONG MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS.
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