XN000022-1977-12-04 — Page 2

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1977

TRADE STATISTICS TO GO METRIC ******

HONG KONG'S TRADE STATISTICS WILL SOON GO METRIC AND BE RECLASSIFIED TO BRING THEM IN LINE WITH THOSE OF ITS MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT THE CHANGES WOULD TAKE EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 1978.

+TO GIVE IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS TIME TO STUDY THE NEW REGULATIONS, A REVISED EDITION OF THE HONG KONG IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CLASS IF ICATION LIST WILL BE PUBLISHED IN MID-DECEMBER,+ HE ADDED.

THE NEW LIST WILL REPLACE THE JANUARY 1974 EDITION WHICH IS BASED ON THE UNITED NATIONS STANDARD INTERNATIONAL TRADE CLASS IF ICATION, REVISED 1.

THE NEW EDITION INVOLVES A CHANGEOVER TO THE STANDARD INTERNATIONAL TRADE CLASSIFICATION, REVISED 2, IN LINE WITH A UNITED NATIONS RECOMMENDATION THAT IT BE ADOPTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BY COUNTRIES COMPILING EXTERNAL TRADE STATISTICS.

THE CHANGE WILL ENHANCE THE VALUE OF HONG KONG'S PUBLISHED TRADE STATISTICS BECAUSE FINER COMMODITY BREAKDOWNS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE REVISED COMMODITY CLASSIFICATION LIST OF THE NEW HONG KONG IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CLASSIFICATION LIST.

THE UNITS OF QUANTITY USED IN TRADE DECLARATIONS AND PUBLISHED TRADE STATISTICS WILL ALSO BE CHANGED FROM THE EXISTING BRITISH SYSTEM TO THE METRIC SYSTEM.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE UNITS OF QUANTITY TO BE USED ARE SPECIFIED AGAINST EACH COMMODITY ITEM IN THE COMMODITY CLASSIFICATION LIST. +THIS CHANGEOVER TO THE METRIC SYSTEM WILL FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF TRADE STATISTICS.+

BECAUSE THE CHANGES IN COMMODITY CLASSIFICATIONS AND UNITS OF QUANTITY WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, THE REVISED COMMODITY CLASSIFICATION AND METRIC UNITS OF QUANTITY MUST BE FOLLOWED IN COMPLETING TRADE DECLARATIONS FOR ALL SHIPMENTS MADE ON AND AFTER THAT DATE.

+ IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS ARE URGED TO MAKE SURE THAT EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETING TRADE DECLARATIONS FULLY UNDERSTAND THESE CHANGES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE NEW REVISED EDITION OF THE HONG KONG IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CLASS IF ICATION LIST WILL BE PUT ON SALE AT GOVERNMENT PUBLICATION CENTRES LATER THIS MONTH.

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