FRIDAY, APRIL 6,
1990
TRADE DEPT RESPONSE TO U.S. TRADE BILL
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*
A BILL WAS
INTRODUCED INTO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS ON OF TEXTILE, APPAREL
WEDNESDAY (APRIL 4) SEEKING TO LIMIT THE GROWTH AND FOOTWEAR IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES.
"
"THE BILL IS PURE PROTECTIONISM, THE DEPUTY OF TRADE, MR CHRISTOPHER JACKSON, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
"IT IS UNLIKELY ΤΟ SUCCEED, BUT IT THREATENS HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AND WE MUST TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
"WE WILL BE WORKING
WITH DOMESTIC INTERESTS IN THE UNITED STATES OPPOSED TO THE BILL, PARTICULARLY IMPORTERS AND RETAILERS, ΤΟ TRY TO PREVENT ITS ENACTMENT IN CONGRESS, HE SAID.
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MR JACKSON SAID THE BILL AIMS AT LIMITING TO ONE PER CENT A YEAR GROWTH OF TEXTILE AND APPAREL IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES.
IT WOULD IMPOSE IMPORT QUOTAS ON A GLOBAL BASIS,
20 PER CENT OF WHICH WOULD BE AUCTIONED OFF UNDER A PILOT PROGRAMME STARTING NEXT YEAR.
FOOTWEAR IMPORTS WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO LAST YEAR'S LEVELS WITH NO ALLOWANCE FOR GROWTH.
IT IS SIMILAR TO THE JENKINS BILL (1985) AND THE TEXTILES BILL (1987), BOTH OF WHICH WERE VETOED BY FORMER PRESIDENT REAGAN.
WELL
"THE U.S. TEXTILES AND APPAREL INDUSTRY IS ALREADY PROTECTED BY TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH OVER 40 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES, INCLUDING HONG KONG, RESTRICTING THEIR EXPORTS OF TEXTILE AND APPAREL TO THE UNITED STATES," MR JACKSON SAID.
"ADDITIONAL PROTECTION IS GIVEN BY IMPORT DUTIES AVERAGING 18 PER CENT WHICH ARE MANY TIMES HIGHER THAN FOR MOST OTHER PRODUCTS ENTERING THE UNITED STATES.
"
"IT IS NOT AS IF THE TWO INDUSTRIES ARE SUFFERING, HE SAID.
"BOTH TEXTILE AND APPAREL PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES WAS UP LAST YEAR, AS WERE EXPORTS AND EMPLOYMENT FIGURES.
"MANY SECTORS OF THE INDUSTRY HAVE ADAPTED AND MODERNISED IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE APPAREL MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION HAS YET COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, MR JACKSON SAID.
AND
NOT
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U.S.
"THE BILL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED ΤΟ DISCOURAGE NEGOTIATORS IN THE URUGUAY ROUND OF GATT TALKS FROM MAKING ANY CONCESSIONS ON TEXTILES AND APPAREL, HE SAID.
"WHETHER THEY SUCCEED IN THIS AIM WILL BECOME CLEAR OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS."
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