SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1989
HK AND U.S. HOLD SIMILAR VIEWS ON TRADE
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THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR JOHN CHAN. CONCLUDED HIS VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES YESTERDAY (JUNE 23) WITH AN ADDRESS TO BUSINESS EXECUTIVES AT A BREAKFAST MEETING OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
OTHER MEETINGS EARLIER IN THE WEEK INCLUDED BRIEFINGS WITH CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN AND MEMBERS OF THE STATE SENATE AND CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY IN SACRAMENTO, AND WITH MAYOR TOM BRADLEY OF LOS ANGELES.
ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA IN SAN FRANCISCO, MR CHAN SAID HE FOUND IT ENCOURAGING THAT THE MAJOR EMPHASIS OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S TRADE POLICY WAS TOWARDS FAIR TRADE.
HE SAID IT WAS CLEAR FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NEW UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE, MS CARLA HILLS, THAT HONG KONG AND THE UNITED STATES HELD VERY SIMILAR VIEWS OVER MANY TRADE ISSUES.
"BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND HONG KONG ARE PLAYING IMPORTANT AND ACTIVE ROLES IN THE URUGUAY ROUND OF THE GATT AND BOTH OF US SHARE COMMON VIEWS ON MANY OF THE ISSUES INVOLVED,
H MR CHAN SAID.
"AS A RESULT OF THE MID-TERM REVIEW THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT THE ULTIMATE AIM OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES SHOULD BE TO BRING TRADE IN TEXTILES BACK UNDER THE GATT SYSTEM," MR CHAN TOLD REPORTERS,
MR CHAN FELT THAT THE UNITED STATES. AS THE WORLD'S LEADING TRADING NATION, HAD AGREEABLY BENEFITED MORE THAN ANY OTHER NATION FROM THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
THE
"WE THEREFORE LOOK TO THE UNITED STATES, AND IN PARTICULAR U.S. ADMINISTRATION. TO DEMONSTRATE CLEARLY ITS COMMITMENT ΤΟ THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM BY ITS ACTIONS BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD.
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MR CHAN SAID HE BELIEVED THAT, WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IN GENEVA OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, THE URUGUAY ROUND COULD BE BROUGHT TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION.
"AND I BELIEVE THAT HONG KONG CAN PLAY THE PROCESS, DEMONSTRATING TO THE WORLD ITS AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS, HE ADDED.
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AN IMPORTANT PART IN AUTONOMY IN COMMERCIAL
MR CHAN SAID HE FELT GRATIFIED THAT HE NO LONGER HAD TO TELL PEOPLE THAT HONG KONG PRACTISED FREE TRADE AS WAS THE CASE DURING HIS VISIT TO THE U.S. THREE YEARS AGO.
"I HAVE FOUND THERE IS MUCH MORE UNDERSTANDING AND MUCH MORE GOOD WILL TOWARDS HONG KONG. PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY ASSOCIATE THE 'HONG KONG WITH FREE TRADE AND OPEN ECONOMY," MR CHAN SAID.
MR CHAN WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG THIS EVENING.
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