27, 1986
3
DORWARD FORESEES CONTINUING BATTLE AGAINST PROTE
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THE RECENT FAILURE BY THE U.S. CONGRESS TO OVER-RIDE PRESIDENT REGAN'S VETO OF THE JENKINS BILL MERELY SIGNALLED THE END OF ONE BATTLE AGAINST PROTECTIONISM, AND THE WAR WILL GO ON.
THIS OPINION WAS EXPRESSED IN LOS ANGELES TODAY (WEDNESDAY)
BY HONG KONG'S SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE IN NORTH AMERICA, MR BILL DORWARD, WHEN DELIVERING AN ANTI-PROTECTIONIST MESSAGE TO A SYMPOSIUM OF THE AMERICAN FAIR TRADE COUNCIL.
MR DORWARD POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS STILL PLENTY OF FIGHT LEFT IN THE PROTECTIONIST CAMP, WHICH WAS RE-GROUPING FOR ANOTHER ATTACK ON FREE TRADE.
+ I DO NOT THINK I AM RAKING OVER DEAD COALS TODAY, HE SAID. +THEY ARE STILL SMOULDERING AND THE ATMOSPHERE IS STILL TINDER DRY.+
HE ALSO SAID THAT SINCE THE VOTE TO OVER-RIDE THE VETO FAILED ON AUGUST 6, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE HAD INTRODUCED BILLS WHICH WOULD ESTABLISH IMPORT LICENSING SYSTEMS AND, IN HIS VIEW, IMPEDE THE TEXTILE AND APPAREL TRADE STILL FURTHER.
+1F WHAT I HAVE HAD TO SAY TODAY HAS MADE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, THEN I AM CONTENT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PRESENT AND FUTURE THREAT TO WHAT I INSIST ON CALLING LEGITIMATE TRADE. VIGILANCE AND SUSTAINED EFFORT IS NEEDED TO DEFEND AGAINST IT,+ MR DORWARD TOLD THE SYMPOSIUM.
HE SAID THAT INFORMED OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON HAD DESCRIBED THE IDEA OF IMPORT CONTROLS ON TEXTILES AND APPAREL AS +AN ADMINISTRATIVE NIGHTMARE+.
MR DORWARD ALSO EXPLODED SEVERAL MYTHS SURROUNDING THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT (MFA), WHICH GOVERNS MUCH OF WORLD TRADE IN TEXTILES AND APPAREL, AND WHICH WAS RECENTLY RENEWED FOR A FURTHER FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.
CONTRARY TO THE CLAIMS OF THE PROTECTIONISTS, MR DORWARD SAID THAT THE MFA DID NOT PRESCRIBE AN OVERALL GROWTH RATE OF SIX PER CENT FOR TEXTILE IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES.
+THERE IS NOT, NEVER HAS BEEN AND, I PREDICT, THERE NEVER WILL BE A PROVISION IN THE MFA THAT SAYS TOTAL IMPORTS OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL CANNOT GROW BY MORE THAN SIX PER CENT OR ANY OTHER NUMBER IN A GIVEN YEAR. AND NO MATTER HOW OFTEN THAT FALSEHOOD IS REPEATED, NEVER BELIEVE IT OR LET IT PASS UNCHALLENGED, HE SAID.
/HE WENT