7
FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1983
U.S. IMPORTERS FIGHT PROTECTIONISM
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THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD TODAY (FRIDAY) CALLED ON THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES TO HONOUR THE FREE TRADE PRINCIPLES WHICH HAD BEEN RESTATED SO RECENTLY AT THE WILLIAMSBURG SUMMIT.
SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LION'S CLUB OF HONG KONG (HOST), MR MACLEOD SAID SOME HONG KONG EXPORTERS TO THE UNITED STATES WERE NOW EXPERIENCING CONSIDERABLE PROBELMS BECAUSE THE U.S. HAD +CALLED+ HONG KONG ON A NUMBER OF GARMENT CATEGORIES THAT IS TO SAY, EFFECTIVELY INTRODUCED A LIMIT ON THE EXPORT OF WHAT WERE PREVIOUSLY UNRESTRAINED ITEMS.
+ IMPORTERS IN THE USA ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS EITHER, AND ARE ATTEMPTING TO EXERT PRESSURE WITHIN THE USA TO COUNTERBALANCE THE PROTECTIONIST EFFORTS OF THEIR DOMESTIC INDUSTRY. WE. TOO. ARE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT TO CALL+ HONG KONG IS USED RESPONSIBLY,
+THE USA HAS, AFTER ALL, NOT YET ABANDONED CAPITALISM BECAUSE THE PROTECTIONISTS IN THE USA ARE PARTICULARLY STRIDENT AT THIS TIME, WE SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE ARGUMENTS FOR REMOVING TRADE BARRIERS ARE ALSO BELIEVED IN, AND FOUGHT FOR, IN THE USA,+ MR MACLEOD REMARKED.
CONCEDING THAT THERE IS INEVITABLY SOME GAP BETWEEN WORDS AND DEEDS, HE POINTED OUT GOVERNMENTS WOULD LOSE THEIR CREDIBILITY IF THE GAP BACAME TOO WIDE.
+HENCE THE WORDS OF THE STATEMENT RELEASED ON MAY 30 AFTER THE SUMMIT AT WILLIAMSBURG SHOULD NOT BE SIMPLY DISMISSED AS HYPOCRITICAL THEY REPRESENT AN AIM, AND AN AEM WHICH AT LEAST SOME OF THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED BELIEVE IN AND WHICH IT IS IN HONG KONG'S INTEREST TO KEEP REMINDING THEM OF.+
HE CITED TWO SENTENCES WHICH PARTICULARLY STRUCK HIM:
+..... WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO HALT PROTECTIONISM, AND AS
RECOVERY PROCEEDS TO REVERSE IT BY DISMANTLING TRADE BARRIERS ......+
WE SHOULD WORK TO ACHIEVE FURTHER TRADE LIBERALISATION NEGOTIATIONS IN THE GATT WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON EXPANDING TRADE WITH AND AMONG DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ON THE PUBLICITY BATTLE ON PROTECTIONISM VERSUS FREE TRADE, MR MACLEOD SAID HE WAS HOPEFUL THAT HONG KONG'S INCREASED REPRESENTATION IN THE USA, WITH THE CREATION OF THE NEW HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN NEW YORK, WOULD ENABLE HONG KONG'S CASE TO BE PUT MORE OFTEN AND MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE FUTURE, BOTH IN THE MEDIA AND MORE PERSONALLY TO PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE.