XN000022-1979-08-22 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1979

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HK PARTICIPATING IN UN GSP SEMINAR IN CHINA

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A SENIOR OFFICER FROM THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT WILL JOIN A UNITED NATIONS MISSION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GENERALISED SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES (GSP) TO ASSIST OFFICIALS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN OPERATING THE VARIOUS GSP SCHEMES.

HE IS MR. P.C. LEUNG, THE PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE CERTIFICATION BRANCH OF THE DEPARTMENT.

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THE UN MISSION, ORGANISED BY THE UNITED NATIONS. CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT (UNCTAD) AND THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP), WILL HOLD A SEMINAR IN PEKING FROM SEPTEMBER 3 TO 7 TO PROVIDE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE VARIOUS GSP SCHEMES, AND TO EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE SCHEMES WITH RESPONSIBLE CHINESE OFFICIALS.

SO FAR CHINA HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS A BENEFICIARY IN THE GSP SCHEMES OPERATED BY AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY AND SWITZERLAND,

MR. LEUNG WILL LEAVE HONG KONG FOR PEKING ON AUGUST 27 TO JOIN THE UN MISSION. EARLIER THIS YEAR, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE UNCTAD/UNDP REGIONAL SEMINAR ON THE GSP SCHEMES FOR ASIAN COUNTRIES HELD IN NEW DELHI, IN WHICH DELEGATES FROM CHINA ALSO ATTENDED. MR. LEUNG IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO HONG KONG ON SEPTEMBER 13.

HONG KONG IS INCLUDED AS A BENEFICIARY IN NINE DIFFERENT GSP SCHEMES OPERATED BY 17 COUNTRIES= THESE ARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, CANADA, THE NINE MEMBERS OF THE EEC, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND AND THE USA, HONG KONG HAS BEEN CERTIFYING

GSP EXPORTS SINCE JULY, 1971 WHEN THE EEC'S GSP SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED.

IN 1978, ABOUT 21 PER CENT OF THE VALUE OF OUR TOTAL DOMESTIC EXPORTS WERE COVERED BY FORMS A ISSUED UNDER THE VARIOUS GSP SCHEMES. OF THESE GSP EXPORTS, 38 PER CENT WENT TO THE USA AND 45 PER CENT TO THE EEC.

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MR. DOUGLAS JORDAN, COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS OF THE TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT, WELCOMED MR. LEUNG'S ASSIGNMENT, AND SAID THAT HE CONSIDERED IT A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR HONG KONG TO ESTABLISH A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS ON CUSTOMS MATTERS.

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