FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1985
MR DORWARD SAID HE MET WITH THE CONGRESSMEN +TO CONVEY TO THEM HONG KONG'S DEEP CONCERN OVER THE JENKINS BILL+.
+ IT IS IN VIOLATION OF BOTH THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT) AND THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT (MFA), AS WELL AS AT LEAST A DOZEN BILATERAL AGREEMENTS CONCLUDED UNDER THE MFA, HE SAID.
MR DORWARD SAID HE POINTED OUT TO THE CONGRESSMEN THAT HONG KONG WAS A COMPLETELY OPEN MARKET FOR UNITED STATES GOODS, AS WELL AS THOSE FROM ANY OTHER COUNTRY, MEANING THE BILL WAS FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR TO THE TERRITORY.
+ IN ADDITION, PASSAGE OF THE BILL WOULD NOT BODE WELL FOR NEGOTIATIONS CONCERNING A NEW ROUND OF THE MFA.+
MR DORWARD, WHO WAS ACCOMPANIED DURING HIS TALKS BY HONG KONG'S COUNSELLOR IN WASHINGTON, MR PETER LO, AND THE TDC'S LOBBYIST,
MR VERRICK FRENCH, SAID THE CONGRESSMEN NOTED HONG KONG'S ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE JENKINS BILL, BUT ALSO POINTED TO THE GROWING SUPPORT FOR IT.
AT THE LATEST COUNT, IT HAD 290 CO-SPONSORS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND 53 IN THE SENATE, THE HOUSE HAS 435 MEMBERS AND THE SENATE HAS 100.
SENATOR DOLE IS THE LEADER OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE, AND HAS BEEN MENTIONED AS A CONTENDER FOR THE 1988 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION, SENATOR BRADLEY IS A MEMBER OF THE INFLUENTIAL SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AS CHAIRMAN OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, MR ROSTENKOWSKI IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE COMMITTEE HAS CONTROL OVER ALL LEGISLATION AFFECTING TAXATION AND OTHER GOVERNMENT REVENUE.
MR ROSTENKOWSKI WAS ONE OF THREE LEADING DEMOCRATS WHO INTRODUCED A BILL TO CONGRESS WHICH WOULD IMPOSE A 25 PER CENT DUTY ON GOODS FROM JAPAN AND THREE OTHER COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE LARGE TRADE SURPLUSES WITH THE UNITED STATES AND ARE ACCUSED OF MAINTAINING UNFAIR TRADE BARRIERS AGAINST U.S. GOODS. HONG KONG WOULD BE EXEMPT, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IT HAS A LARGE SURPLUS, IT HAS NO TRADE RESTRICTIONS.
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