XN000022-1975-09-25 — Page 5

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1975

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D C AND I COMMENTS ON WASHINGTON REPORT ABOUT US-GSP

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A NEWS AGENCY REPORT CAME FROM WASHINGTON TODAY QUOTING AMERICAN OFFICIALS AS PREDICTING THAT HONG KONG WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE US GENERALISED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES.

A COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL COMMENTED THAT THIS WAS ENCOURAGING NEWS: HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS ARE CERTAINLY HOPING FOR A US GOVERNMENT DECISION TO DESIGNATE HONG KONG.

MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HONG KONG WAS NOT YET INCLUDED IN THE SCHEME WHEN OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION SOME OF WHICH HAVE RECENTLY IMPROVED THEIR SHARE OF THE US IMPORT MARKET WHILE HONG KONG'S SHARE HAS BEEN RECLINING WERE ALREADY INCLUDED.

ON THE REVERSE PREFERENCES ISSUE, THE OFFICIAL RECALLED, THAT AFTER THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON IN APRIL, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN THE US A FIRM UNDERTAKING TO REMOVE THESE PREFERENCES BY JANUARY 1, 1976, PROVIDED HONG KONG WAS INCLUDED IN THE SCHEME.

ALTHOUGH IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE US GOVERNMENT IS GIVING FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION TO HONG KONG'S CASE, THE LONGER FORMAL DESIGNATION IS DELAYED, THE GREATER THE RISK, FOR HONG KONG THAT US IMPORTERS WILL TRANSFER THEIR 1976 ORDERS TO COUNTRIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED.

WATER INTERRUPTIONS

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WATER SUPPLY TO A NUMBER OF PREMISES IN WANCHAT AND IN MONG KOK WILL BE INTERRUPTED BETWEEN 1 A.M. AND 6 A.M. ON SATURDAY (SEPTEMBER 27) TO ENABLE TESTS FOR LEAKAGE TO BE CARRIED OUT IN THE AREAS.

IN WANCHAI, THE AFFECTED PREMISES ARE BOUNDED BY MARSH ROAD, GLOUCESTER ROAD, PERCIVAL STREET AND THE NORTH SIDE OF HENNESSY ROAD.

IN MONG KOK, PREMISES BOUNDED BY FUK TSUEN STREET, TONG MET ROAD, CHERRY STREET, TAI KOK TSUI ROAD AND IVY STREET WILL BE AFFECTED.