52
J
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1991
TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT URUGUAY ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE TALKS, MR LAU SAID HONG KONG HAD MADE FULL USE OF ITS SEPARATE MEMBER STATUS TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY.
"OUR INTERESTS COVER TEXTILES, IMPROVEMENT IN GATT RULES GOVERNING ANTI-DUMPING AND SAFEGUARD MEASURES THAT RESTRICT IMPORTS TO PROTECT THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY, TARIFFS, TRADE IN SERVICES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS," HE SAID.
"IN THE CASE OF TEXTILES, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE GRADUAL PHASING OUT OF THE EXISTING DISCRIMINATORY RESTRICTIONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING SECTOR BACK TO THE RULE OF THE GATT," HE SAID.
ON ANTI-DUMPING, MR LAU SAID HONG KONG CONCERNED THAT ANTI-DUMPING ACTIONS MIGHT PROLIFERATE AS TOOLS OF TRADE PROTECTION.
"WE SEEK BETTER GATT DISCIPLINES WHICH WILL MINIMISE THE ARBITRARY AND OBSCURE WAY IN WHICH IMPORTING COUNTRIES DETERMINE THE EXISTENCE OF DUMPING TO THE DISADVANTAGE OF EXPORTING COUNTRIES," HE SAID.
Fr
IN THE AREA OF SAFEGUARDS, HONG KONG SOUGHT TO UPHOLD THE NON-DISCRIMINATORY PRINCIPLE OF THE GATT IN THE APPLICATION OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS TAKEN ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS TO RELIEF DOMESTIC INDUSTRY.
AS REGARDS TARIFFS, HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES WERE NEGOTIATING WITH MOST OF ITS MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE TARIFFS ON ITEMS OF INTEREST TO HONG KONG.
"IN RESPECT OF TRADE IN SERVICES, WE SUPPORT AN AGREEMENT WHICH WOULD LAY DOWN DISCIPLINES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN SERVICES MUCH AS THE GATT HAS DONE FOR TRADE IN GOODS," MR LAU SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS IN HONG KONG'S INTEREST GIVEN THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR ECONOMIC STRUCTURE AND THE GROWING SIGNIFICANCE OF ITS SERVICE SECTORS.
IN THE AREA OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT PROTECTION, MR LAU SAID HONG KONG SUPPORTED AN AGREEMENT WHICH WOULD ENSURE PROTECTION OF SUCH RIGHTS AND YET AT THE SAME TIME PREVENT THE RISK OF SUCH PROTECTION MEASURES FROM BEING ABUSED TO RESTRICT LEGITIMATE TRADE.
MR LAU SAID HE DID NOT SEE, AT PRESENT, THE URUGUAY ROUND
TALKS WOULD FAIL.
SUCCESS OF THE ROUND WOULD REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO ABIDE BY GATT OBLIGATIONS, IMPROVE THE WORLD TRADING SYSTEM, LEAD TO EXPANSION OF WORLD TRADE.
TOWARDS
"WE HAVE THEREFORE MADE IT OUT TOP PRIORITY TO WORK SUCCESSFUL URUGUAY ROUND WHICH WOULD STRENGTHEN THE GATT, HE SAID.
IL
A
0
/53