SATURDAY, AUGUST 4,
1984
1 ་
HONG KONG EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER U.S. ACTION ON TEXTILES
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HONG KONG HAS EXPRESSED ITS DEEP CONCERN TO THE UNITED STATES ON THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS PUBLISHED YESTERDAY REGARDING THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF TEXTILE IMPORTS.
COMMENTING ON THE REGULATIONS, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR MICHAEL SZE, SAID THAT IF THEY WERE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT AMENDMENT HONG KONG'S TEXTILES EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
HE SAID THAT THE ORIGIN RULES WERE DISCRIMINATORY
IN THAT THEY ONLY APPLIED TO TRADE IN TEXTILES UNDER BILATERAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE UNITED STATES. SIMILAR TRADE FROM UNRESTRAINED SOURCES WOULD BE UNAFFECTED.
UNDER THE REGULATIONS ALL IMPORTS OF TEXTILES AND TEXTILE PRODUCTS INTO THE UNITED STATES COVERED BY BILATERAL AGREEMENTS WHICH WERE NOT WHOLLY MANUFACTURED IN THE EXPORTING COUNTRY MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A DECLARATION WHICH MAY BE PREPARED BY THE MANUFACTURER, PRODUCER, EXPORTER OR IMPORTER OF THE PRODUCTS CONCERNED.
FURTHERMORE, THE REGULATIONS MAKE NEW PROVISIONS AS REGARDS ORIGIN OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS. THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG ARE THAT SOME OF THE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES IN THE TERRITORY WOULD NO LONGER CONFER HONG KONG ORIGIN. THIS IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT TO THE KNITWEAR AND FABRIC INDUSTRIES.
MR SZE SAID THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE FULL IMPLICATIONS OF THE REGULATIONS BEFORE THEY HAD BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE UNITED STATES. BUT A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION INDICATED THAT THERE COULD BE SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR HONG KONG EXPORTERS.
ELABORATING ON THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG, MR SZE SAID: +IT SEEMS THAT, WITH EFFECT FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 1984, HONG KONG EXPORTERS CAN NO LONGER BE SURE THAT THEIR GOODS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN LICENSED PROPERLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE US-HONG KONG BILATERAL TEXTILES AGREEMENT.+
HE ADDED THAT ANY UNILATERAL IMPOSITION OF THE REGULATIONS WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT OR THE US-HONG KONG BILATERAL TEXTILES AGREEMENT.
+WE WILL NOW SEEK EARLY CONSULTATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES WITH A VIEW TO RESOLVING THE PROBLEMS POSED BY THE REGULATIONS, +
HE SAID.
SPEAKING AT A PRESS BRIEFING LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, MR SZE, SAID HE WELCOMED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE BACKGROUND TO THE NEW REGULATIONS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER IN WASHINGTON.
/HE SAID