THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1986
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TEXTILE TALKS WITH CANADA BEGIN NEXT WEEK
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BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANADA ON THE TERRITORY'S TEXTILES EXPORTS TO CANADA AFTER 1986 WILL BE HELD IN HONG KONG ON JUNE 23 AND 24, A TRADE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CURRENT HONG KONG-CANADA BILATERAL TEXTILES AGREEMENT WILL EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31.
THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, WILL LEAD THE HONG KONG TEAM AND THE CANADIAN TEAM WILL BE LED BY THEIR CHIEF TEXTILES NEGOTIATOR, MR HOWIE WILSON.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE TALKS WILL BE THE FIRST FORMAL ROUND BETWEEN CANADA AND HONG KONG ON POST-1986 ARRANGEMENTS.
CANADA IS HONG KONG'S FIFTH LARGEST EXPORT MARKET FOR TEXTILES AND APPAREL, IN 1985, EXPORTS OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL TO CANADA AMOUNTED TO $2 115.4 MILLION OR FOUR PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TEXTILES AND APPAREL EXPORTS. APPAREL ACCOUNTED FOR 85 PER CENT OF THE 1986 TEXTILE EXPORTS TO CANADA.
HK EXCLUDED FROM NZ'S GSP SCHEME
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HONG KONG WILL CEASE TO BE A BENEFICIARY OF THE NEW ZEALAND GENERALISED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES (GSP) FROM JULY 1, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
HOWEVER 92 DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOODS IN WHICH HONG KONG HAS A SPECIAL TRADING INTEREST, WILL CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM LOWER THAN NORMAL IMPORT DUTIES AFTER JULY 1.
THE MOVE TO REINSTATE+ PREFERENTIAL TARIFF RATES FOR THE 92 ITEMS OF SPECIAL TRADING INTEREST TO HONG KONG FOLLOWS CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND NEW ZEALAND HELD IN WELLINGTON ON APRIL 10-11, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
AS A RESULT OF NEGOTIATIONS THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO APPLY THE PREFERENTIAL TARIFF RATE GRANTED TO LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO GSP RATES, IN RESPECT OF THE 92 ITEMS, HE SAID.
THESE ITEMS