SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1984

TWO MPS DUE ***

TWO MPS, MR RUSSELL JOHNSTON (LIBERAL) AND MR ANDREW FAULDS LABOUR) WILL ARRIVE TOMORROW (SUNDAY) AFTERNOON FOR A VISIT.

DURING THE IR STAY, THEY WILL MEET UMELCO AND URBAN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD, SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT STAFF ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES, MEMBERS OF THE MODEL SCALE 1 STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL AND A GROUP OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

THE TWO MPS WILL VISIT SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT, THE CHI MA WAN CLOSED CENTRE FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, AN ELECTRONICS FACTORY AND A HOUSING ESTATE.

MR JOHNSTON WILL GIVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON OCTOBER 6 AND MR FAULDS ON OCTOBER 9.

HK SEEKS BEST DEAL FROM U.S. GSP SCHEME

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+ THE TRADE DEPARTMENT WAS FIGHTING FOR THE BEST DEAL FOR HONG KONG IN THE NEW U.S. GENERALISED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES WHICH MIGHT COME INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY NEXT YEAR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR DONALD TSANG SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, U.S. LEGISLATORS IN BOTH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATE HAD PROPOSED DIFFERENT BILLS TO REPLACE THE EXISTING GSP.

MR TSANG SAID: THE LATEST US GSP RENEWAL BILL UNDER CONSIDERATION IN THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONTAINS CERTAIN DANGEROUS FEATURES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES EXPORTING INTO THE US.+

+THIS BILL, WHICH PASSED THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE IN THE EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 26, PROPOSES TO DIVIDE IMPORTING COUNTRIES INTO THREE TIERS ACCORDING TO THEIR PER CAPITA GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT (GNP).

+ IMPORTING COUNTRIES IN THE TOP TIER WITH PER CAPITA GNP $9 000 OR ABOVE WILL BE GRADUATED' OUT OF THE GSP. COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE TIER, WHICH INCLUDE HONG KONG, SINGAPORE AND OTHERS, ARE THOSE HAVING A PER CAPITA GNP OF BETWEEN US$5 000 AND $9 000. A COUNTRY IN THIS GROUP WHOSE IMPORT OF ANY ELIGIBLE ARTICLE EXCEEDS US$25 MILLION OR 25 PER CENT OF THE IMPORT SHARE WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FOR BENEFITS IN RESPECT OF THAT ARTICLE UNDER THE GSP.

/+DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

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