XN000022-1978-10-13 — Page 4

3

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1978

THE DRAFT AMENDMENT PLAN CAN BE SEEN DURING NORMAL OFFICE HOURS UNTIL NOVEMBER 2, 1978 AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS :

* CITY DISTRICT OFFICE (CENTRAL AND WESTERN) ENQUIRY

SUB-OFFICE, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, WEST WING ENTRANCE, HONG KONG=

* CITY DISTRICT OFFICE (EASTERN), 884

GROUND FLOOR, HONG KONG-

*

-

886 KING'S ROAD,

CITY DISTRICT OFFICE (WAN CHAI), TUNG WAH MANSION, 201 HENNESSY ROAD, GROUND FLOOR, HONG KONG- AND

* TOWN PLANNING OFFICE, 17TH FLOOR, MURRAY BUILDING,

GARDEN ROAD, HONG KONG.

ALSO, UNTIL NOVEMBER 2, 1978 ANYONE AFFECTED BY THE SCHEDULED AMENDMENTS CAN INFORM THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD OF ANY OBJECTIONS BY WRITING TO THE SECRETARY, TOWN PLANNING BOARD, C/O PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, MURRAY BUILDING, GARDEN ROAD, HONG KONG.

LICENSING OF HONG KONG'S FOOTWEAR EXPORTS

******

THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT ALL FOOTWEAR WOULD BE SUBJECT TO EXPORT LICENSING WITH EFFECT FROM OCTOBER 22, 1978. THE DECISION TO DO SO HAS BEEN MADE ON THE ADVICE OF THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD.

NORMALLY EXPORT LICENCES WILL BE ISSUED AUTOMATICALLY FOR THESE PRODUCTS, BUT FOR SHIPMENTS TO THE U.S. OF NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR FOR WHICH HONG KONG ORIGIN IS CLAIMED, LICENCES WILL BE ISSUED ONLY IF A VALID CERTIFICATE OF HONG KONG ORIGIN HAS FIRST BEEN OBTAINED.

THE ORGANISATIONS APPROVED TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF HONG KONG ORIGIN ARE THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT; THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; THE INDIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONG KONG; THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG; THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES AND THE CHINESE GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

UNDER AN ARRANGEMENT AGREED WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, THE U.S. AUTHOR ITIES WILL ACCEPT IMPORTS FROM HONG KONG OF NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR ONLY IF THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY CERTIFICATES OF HONG KONG ORIGIN. IMPORTS OF NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR NOT COVERED BY A CERTIFICATE OF HONG KONG ORIGIN MAY BE DENIED ENTRY. FOR SHIPMENTS OF THESE PRODUCTS TO THE U.S. WHICH DO NOT CLAIM TO BE OF HONG KONG ORIGIN, EXPORT LICENCES WILL BE ISSUED AUTOMATICALLY BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT SUCH SHIPMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE U.S.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT SAID THIS WAS BASICALLY A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND NO QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTION IS INVOLVED. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT FOOTWEAR MANUFACTURED IN THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO RESTRICT EXPORTS OF FOOTWEAR TO THE U.S. DO NOT CIRCUMVENT THE IR QUOTA RESTRICTIONS BY CLAIMING THEM TO BE OF HONG KONG ORIGIN.