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Tuesday, May 15, 1973

USE OF COMPUTERS IN TRADE FACILITATION

A British expert in the use of computers for simplifying trade

procedures and documents will arrive in Hong Kong on Thursday (May 17)

to familiarise businessmen and officials on the latest developments in

this field.

He is Mr. Don Trafford, the Electronic Data Processing Manager

of the U.K. Simplification Of International Trade Procedures Board (SITPRO).

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A spokesman for the newly-formed Hong Kong Trade Facilitation

Committee said today that Sitpro had already done a great deal of work

on computer applications in trade facilitation.

During his briefings to be attended by businessmen, representatives

of trade associations and government officials Mr. Trafford will present

a "demonstration package" of a computer processing scheme developed for

the London Airport.

It was considered that the expansion of cargo movement through

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the airport would, in time, force an unacceptable slowing down in the

handling of airfreight and the system was introduced as a means of overcoming

the limitations imposed by conventional paper systems.

Mr. Ian Tomlin, the chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Facilitation

Committee, today welcomed Mr. Trafford's visit and said that the application

of automatic data processing and advanced data transmission techniques

"to information flows in international trade" was assuming a growing

significance.

Because of this, he said, it was important that Hong Kong, being

so depondent on trade, should keep fully abreast of all developments in this

area.

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