SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1934
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TRADE CHIEF GIVES PRESS CONFERENCE
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THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A STATEMENT GIVEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE AIRPORT THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE AT THE HEAD OF A DELEGATION FOR WASHINGTON D.C. TO HOLD CONSULTATIONS WITH U.S. AUTHORITIES ON THE PROPOSED AMERICAN RULES ON TEXTILE IMPORTS:
+ THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THIS PRESS CONFERENCE. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY INTRODUCING THE TEAM WHICH WILL BE GOING TO WASHINGTON WITH ME THIS MORNING. I AM HONOURED TO HAVE WITH ME AS ADVISERS EXPERIENCED MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY AND OF THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD, THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG AND MR KENNETH FANG. IN ADDITION I HAVE TWO COLLEAGUES FROM THE TRADE DEPARTMENT, MR ROBERT FOOTMAN AND MRS MAUREEN CHAN.
+WE HAVE ABOUT 40 MINUTES BEFORE WE NEED TO GO TO OUR PLANE.
I WILL THEN I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY MAKING A BRIEF STATEMENT. ASK MR CHEONG AND MR FANG IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY OPENING REMARKS, AND THEN INVITE QUESTIONS.
+ THE FACT THAT WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY TWO ADVISERS, AND THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS PRESS CONFERENCE BEFORE OUR DEPARTURE, UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM WE NOW FACE. A PROBLEM WHICH STEMS FROM UNILATERAL ACTION BY THE USA, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR CONSULTATION AND MUTUAL AGREEMENT BEFORE CHANGES TO OUR BILATERAL TEXTILE TRADE ARE MADE.
+SINCE THE 10TH OF AUGUST, WHEN MY DEPARTMENT SET UP THREE 'HOT' LINES, MORE THAN 200 TELÉPHONE CALLS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY TRADE OFFICERS OPERATING THE SERVICE.
+THIS SHOWS THE WORRIES AND CONCERN WHICH MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS HAVE ABOUT THE NEW RULES WHICH, IF IMPLEMENTED, WOULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARDSHIP IN HONG KONG,
+ I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASISE THAT HONG KONG'S ORIGIN REQUIREMENTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE AND THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED CRITERION OF SUBSTANTIAL TRANSFORMATION. THEY HAVE BEEN THE BASIS OF EXPORTS OF HONG KONG ORIGIN GOODS ANY CHANGES TO UNDER THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT FOR MANY YEARS. THESE PRACTICES CONSTITUTE AMENDMENTS TO THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT AND SHOULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT MUTUAL AGREEMENT.
+MOREOVER, THE NEW DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE PROPOSED NEW RULES ARE ONEROUS AND UNREASONABLE. THEY ARE ADDITIONAL BARRIERS TO TRADE AND REQUIRE THE DISCLOSURE OF TRADE SECRETS WHICH NO TRADER WOULD WILLINGLY REVEAL.
/+THERE HAS