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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1989
WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EXISTING CALIFORNIA TRADE AND INVESTMENT OFFICE IN TOKYO, THIS SECOND ASIAN OFFICE WILL PROMOTE TWO- WAY TRADE AND FACILITATE INVESTMENT IN CALIFORNIA FROM THE REGION.
MR JOHNSON NOTED THAT HONG KONG WAS CHOSEN AS THE SITE FOR THE NEW OFFICE AFTER PROPOSALS ON BEHALF OF MANILA, TAIPEI AND SEOUL HAD BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
"WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO ENSURE HONG KONG WOULD BE THE SITE FOR THE NEW OFFICE. IN 1988 CALIFORNIA WAS OUR THIRD LARGEST EXPORT MARKET IN ITS OWN RIGHT, AFTER THE U.S.A. AS A WHOLE AND CHINA, BUT AHEAD OF WEST GERMANY AND JAPAN, THE STATE IN FACT TOOK ONE-THIRD OF OUR TOTAL EXPORTS TO THE U.S.A.. HE SAID,
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MAJOR EXPORTS FROM CALIFORNIA TO HONG KONG ARE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE, ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, OFFICE MACHINERY AND RESINS, RUBBER AND PLASTIC PRODUCTS.
WHILE APPAREL LEADS OUR EXPORTS ΤΟ CALIFORNIA, OTHER ITEMS INCLUDE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT AND OFFICE MACHINES.
UNVEILING PLANS FOR THE NEW OFFICE DURING A SPEECH BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN SAN FRANCISCO, GOVERNOR DEUKMEJIAN SAID THAT SINCE 1986 THE VALUE OF EXPORTS TO THE PACIFIC RIM THROUGH CALIFORNIA PORTS HAD GROWN BY WELL OVER 100 PER CENT.
"HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S PREMIER INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CENTRES. IT IS AT THE CROSSROADS OF TRADE AND COMMERCE WITH THE ASEAN COUNTRIES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, TAIWAN AND THE 1.1 BILLION PEOPLE IN CHINA.
"WHEN WE ESTABLISH THIS OFFICE EARLY NEXT YEAR, I AM CONFIDENT THAT COMBINED WITH OUR WELL-ESTABLISHED TOKYO OFFICE, CALIFORNIA WILL BE ABLE TO RAISE ITS BUSINESS PROFILE IN THE PACIFIC RIM TO AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL, GOVERNOR DEUKMEJIAN SAID.
CALIFORNIA IS THE MOST POPULATED STATE IN THE U.9. (POPULATION CURRENTLY 27 MILLION) AND IT IS ALSO THE NATION'S TOP EXPORTER. TOTAL 1988 U.S. EXPORTS TO HONG KONG THROUGH CALIFORNIA CUSTOMS ' DISTRICTS WERE US$2.423 BILLION WHILE IMPORTS FROM HONG KONG INTO CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE STATE'S CUSTOMS ' DISTRICTS WERE US$3.569 BILLION.
THE STATE ALREADY HAS OFFICES IN LONDON AND MEXICO CITY, AS WELL AS TOKYO.
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