ليا
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 1979
+WE HAVE HAD TO NEGOTIATE COMPLETELY NEW TEXTILE AGREEMENTS WITH OUR MAJOR MARKETS, THE U.S.A. AND THE EEC, AND HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE ACTIVE OVERSEAS. IN ADDITION TO SENDING NEGOTIATING TEAMS FROM HONG KONG, WE NOW HAVE 10 OFFICERS WORKING OVERSEAS, WHEREAS IN 1972 WE ONLY HAD FIVE,+ MR. JORDAN SAID.
+ IN 1976 WE CARRIED OUT THE FIRST EVER MAJOR REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE TEXTILES EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM- AND WE HAVE COMPUTER ISED THE QUOTA SYSTEM FOR THE U.S.A.
+I HOPE I'VE SAID ENOUGH TO CONVINCE ANYONE THAT 100 NEW POSTS CREATED IN THIS YEAR'S ESTIMATES ARE A VERY MODEST ADDITION TO OUR ESTABLISHMENT, HE ADDED,
HE PRAISED THE PEOPLE WHO RUN HONG KONG'S TRADE AND INDUSTRY, SAYING THAT THEY TENDED TO BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED BECAUSE THEY HAD SUCCESSFULLY COPED WITH EVERY ADVERSITY THAT THEY HAD HAD TO FACE.
+BUT WITHOUT THEIR EFFORTS THERE WOULD NOT BE THE RESOURCES TO FINANCE EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, HOUSING OR ANY OTHER SOCIAL PROGRAMMES.+
IN OUTLINING THE PLANNED RE-ORGANISATION OF TICD, MR. JORDAN SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY WAS BOUND UP WITH THE WORK OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION.
-
-
+PERSONALLY I HOPE THAT ONE OUTCOME OF THEIR REPORT WHICH WE EXPECT LATER THIS YEAR WILL BE GREATER, AND MORE CO-ORDINATED GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR THE SUPPORT SERVICES TO INDUSTRY, HE SAID.
+ IT HAS ALREADY BEEN AGREED THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD HAVE THE CENTRAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CO-ORDINATION OF THE EFFORTS OF THE VARIOUS BODIES RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING AND ASSISTING INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR ATTRACTING NEW INDUSTRIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGY TO HONG KONG.+
HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE WOULD CONTINUE HANDLING TEXTILE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT UNTIL PRESENT PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES DIMINISH THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN AREA OF GREAT DIFFICULTY.
+THE PRESSURES. HE CONTINUED, COULD LEAD TO AN EXTENSION OF EXPORT RESTRAINTS TO OTHER PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY IF THE NEGOTIATIONS DUE TO BE RESUMED IN GENEVA PRODUCE WHAT GATT CALLS A SAFEGUARDS CODE.+
HE ADDED: +BUT I AM HOPEFUL THAT PROTECTIONISM PRESSURES WILL BE COUNTERED BY A GROWING REALISATION THAT THE OVERALL COSTS OF IT ARE GREATER THAN THE LIMITED BENEFITS TO PARTICULAR
INDUSTRIES. AS MR. MCNARMARA SAID IN HIS ADDRESS TO UNCTAD V IN MANILA LAST MONTH THE TRUTH IS THAT PROTECTIONISM IS INEFFICIENT, COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE AND ULTIMATELY SELF-DEFEATING.'+
14.