TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1984
HK GROUP AT WHITEHALL MEETING
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CALLED ON MR RICHARD LUCE, THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE MINISTER WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, AT HIS WHITE HALL OFFICES THIS MORNING.
THE MEETING WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY SIR PERCY CRADOCK, DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER TO THE PRIME MINISTER.
DURING THEIR STAY IN "THE UNITED KINGDOM, SIR EDWARD AND
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS MARGARET THATCHER, AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS SIR GEOFFREY HOWE. MR LUCE ALSO HOSTED A LUNCH FOR THE GROUP DURING THEIR STAY IN THE U.K.
THE MEETINGS FORMED PART OF THE CONTINUING PROCESS OF CONSULTATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
THE GOVERNOR AND LADY YOUDE AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ARE EXPECTED TO LEAVE FOR HONG KONG TOMORROW,
11-MONTH EXPORTS RISE 25 PER CENT
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TOTAL MERCHANDISE TRADE FOR JANUARY TO NOVEMBER 1983, VALUED AT $300 082 MILLION, INCREASED BY 23 PER CENT OVER THE SIMILAR PERIOD IN 1982, ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY.
DOMESTIC EXPORTS ROSE BY 25 PER CENT TO $93 484 MILLION, IMPORTS BY 21 PER CENT TO $156 520 MILLION AND RE-EXPORTS BY 26 PER CENT TO $50 078 MILLION. DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND RE-EXPORTS TOGETHER SHOWED AN INCREASE OF 25 PER CENT.
THE CHANGES IN DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO THE TEN MAJOR OVERSEAS MARKETS ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 1.
DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO THE U.S.A. ROSE BY 40 PER CENT IN VALUE. SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES WERE RECORDED IN CLOTHING (BY $4 224 MILL TÔN OR 40%), TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT (BY $2 038 MILLION OR 106%) AND OFFICE MACHINES AND AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING EQUIPMENT (BY $1 672 MILLION OR 111%).
ON THE OTHER HAND, DECREASES WERE RECORDED IN PLASTIC TOYS AND DOLLS (BY $260 MILLION OR 9%) AND TRANSISTORS AND DIODES (BY $120 MILLION OR 55%).
/INCREASES IN