THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1990
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STI CALLS FOR TIGHTENING OF ANTI-DUMPING CODE
THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR JOHN (THURSDAY) CALLED FOR TIGHTENING OF THE ANTI-DUMPING GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT).
CODE
SPEAKING AT A LUNCH MEETING OF THE CANADIAN COMMERCE IN HONG KONG, MR CHAN SAID EXPERIENCE HAD INADEQUATE PROVISIONS IN THE CODE FACILITATED THE USE OF ACTIONS AGAINST EXPORTERS FOR PROTECTIONIST PURPOSES.
CHAN, TODAY
UNDER THE
CHAMBER OF
SHOWN THAT ANTI-DUMPING
HE SAID HONG KONG WAS A PRIME MOVER IN SEEKING A BALANCE IN PROVISIONS OF THE CODE BETWEEN THE INTERESTS OF THE SO-CALLED DUMPERS AND ANTI-DUMPERS.
HE SAID THIS HAD BECOME AN UPHILL BATTLE IN THE CURRENT URUGUAY ROUND OF GATT NEGOTIATIONS, BUT ONE WELL WORTH FIGHTING BECAUSE OF THE DANGERS OF PROLIFERATION OF ANTI-DUMPING.
"UNLESS THE CODE IS TIGHTENED, THE SITUATION COULD GET HAND, HE SAID.
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MR CHAN STRESSED THAT HONG KONG DID NOT CONDONE DUMPING.
OUT OF
"AS REGARDS OUR EXPORTS, THE RATIONALE FOR DUMPING DOES NOT EXIST HERE. GIVEN OUR VERY OPEN ECONOMY AND THE LACK OF A PROTECTED HOME MARKET, IT WOULD SIMPLY NOT BE COMMERCIALLY VIABLE FOR OUR NUMEROUS SMALL EXPORTERS AND MANUFACTURERS TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS AT A LOSS CONTINUOUSLY," HE SAID.
MR CHAN SAID HONG KONG ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO URUGUAY ROUND AS A GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN AND REVITALISE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM.
THE
THE
IT WAS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD то REVERSE
PROTECTIONISM AND
FURTHER LIBERALISE WORLD TRADE.
"WE BELIEVE THE OUTCOME OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD SHAPE THE GLOBAL TRADING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH OUR BUSINESSMEN WILL OPERATE IN THIS DECADE AND BEYOND, HE SAID.
+
MR CHAN SAID HONG KONG ALSO PLAYED THE ROLE OF BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING CONTRACTING PARTIES WHOSE INTERESTS MIGHT BE DIVERGENT.
"WITH DUE MODESTY, I BELIEVE OUR INFLUENCE IN THE URUGUAY ROUND AND THE GATT ARE QUITE OUT OF PROPORTION ΤΟ THE SIZE OF OUR TERRITORY, HE SAID.
"
MR CHAN SAID THE TEXTILES AND CLOTHING SECTOR WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS IN THE URUGUAY ROUND, "NOT ONLY FOR US BUT FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS BECAUSE TEXTILE EXPORTING COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES SEE AN AGREEMENT ON TEXTILE TRADE LIBERALISATION AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF A BALANCED PACKAGE COMING OUT OF THE ROUND".
/THE MULTIFIBRE