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Friday, February 8, 1974
HEAVY ROUND OF TRADE NEGOTIATIONS FOR HONG KONG
The Deputy Director of Commerce and Industry (Commercial
Relations), Mr. Bill Dorward, today expressed the hope that negotiations under the new set of rules to cover trade in cotton, wool and manmade fibres would lead to a happier situation for the Hong Kong textile industry.
They were generally more favourable from Hong Kong's point of
view than those which existed previously, he said.
Mr. Dorward, who was addressing the Rotary Club of Kowloon North, said that the year ahead contains a heavier negotiating schedule than any
we have ever known.
It would start next month when an American delegation arrived to
renegotiate the Hong Kong/U.S. textiles agreement.
In addition, Hong Kong would be involved in a whole series of
negotiations, mainly overseas, with Canada, Austria, Sweden, Norway, possibly Greece, and definitely the European Economic Community.
"This last one promises to be one of the biggest ever, now that the BEC contains nine member states, including Britain," said Mr. Dorward.
As well as textile negotiations, the schedule included international moetings of real significance to Hong Kong, mainly to be held in Geneva. "These will be concerned with fundamental rules of world trade,
and I doubt if there is anywhere in the world where these are more important than right here," he added.
/Mr. Dorward
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