3
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1994
OR AGREEMENT GIVES ENOUGH TIME
FOR HK INDUSTRY TO ADAPT
* * * * *
ARRANGEMENT
GIVES
THE GRADUAL 10-YEAR PHASING-OUT OF THE MULTI-FIBRE (MFA) PROVIDED BY URUGUAY ROUND TEXTILES AND CLOTHING AGREEMENT SUFFICIENT TIME FOR HONG KONG INDUSTRY AND LABOUR FORCE TO RESTRUCTURE AND ADAPT TO THE NEW ENVIRONMENT.
AT
THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR TONY MILLER, MADE THE THE SPRING DINNER OF THE HONG KONG WOOLLEN AND SYNTHETIC
ASSOCIATION AND
KNITWEAR MANUFACTURERS'
HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION TONIGHT (FRIDAY)
REMARK KNITTING
AND
EXPORTERS'
TEXTILES SOON
MR MILLER SAID PROTECTIONISM APPEARING IN THE FORM OF QUOTA IMPOSED UPON HONG KONG BY THE ABSURDITIES OF THE MFA WOULD BE A PROBLEM OF THE PAST.
"THE URUGUAY TEXTILES AND CLOTHING AGREEMENT PROVIDES A 10-YEAR TRANSITIONAL PERIOD DURING WHICH SOME 51 PER CENT PRODUCTS PROGRESSIVELY LIBERALISED.
WILL BR
"GROWTH RATES OF
REMAINING UNDER QUOTA LIMITS ON PRODUCTS
ALL RESTRAINTS GRADUALLY BE INCREASED WITH
REMOVED RESTRAINT WILL
HE SAID. AFTER 10 YEARS PROVIDING EVENTUALLY FOR GENUINE COMPETITION,
"
MR
SAID HONG
WOULD MILLER
KONG ENTREPRENEURS COMPETITION AND HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THEY WOULD TAKE FULL OF THE CHALLENGE AHEAD.
THE
COMMENTING ON KNITWEAR INDUSTRY AND ALSO INDUSTRIES IN GENERAL, DIRECTOR-GENERAI. SAID AN IMPORTANT FACTOR OF THEIR SUCCESSES
HUMAN ELEMENT.
WAS
STRIVE
ON
ADVANTAGE
"HONG
INNOVATIVE,
KONG ENTREPRENEURS ARE THE MOST VERSATILE, IMAGINATIVE, COMMITTED, DILIGENT AND PERSEVERING GROUP OF PEOPLE TO BE
FOUND.
"DESPITE
THE
EVER-EMERGING
PROBLEMS
ARISE
FROM SOLUTIONS,
THE
++
THAT CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO FIND HE SAID.
COTTAGE AND
THE KNITWEAR INDUSTRY STARTED OFF IN THE EARLY 60'S AS TYPE OPERATIONS. EACH ESTABLISHMENT WAS VERY PRIMITIVELY EQUIPPED EMPLOYED ONLY A HANDFUL OF WORKERS.
MANY
PRODUCTION
IN THESE INTERVENING YEARS LOCAL MANUFACTURERS HAVE FACED OBSTACLES, BUT MR MILLER SAID THE ENTREPRENEURS HAD MET THEM HEAD ON
INVESTING IN THEIR IMPROVING
PRODUCTS, TECHNOLOGY AND IN MAKING USE OF LOWER LABOUR COSTS ACROSS THE BORDER FOR MORE LABOUR INTENSIVE MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS.
BY
ACTIVELY
"THIS HAS HELPED TO KEEP PRODUCTION COSTS DOWN ON THE ONE
HE SAID. WHILE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS ON THE OTHER,
HAND
HOWEVER, MR MILLER SAID: "WE MUST NOT REMAIN COMPLACENT.'
·
PRESSURE FROM
AND
THE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO REMAIN UNDER EXTREME COMPETITION PARTICULARLY FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES THE EVER THREAT OF PROTECTIONISM, HE SAID.
TOUGH
FROM
/MR MILLER