XN000022-1981-03-25 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1981

+ IF THIS VIEW WERE TO BE MAINTAINED, SURELY THE WORLD SHOULD RETURN TO FREE TRADE IN TEXTILES, WITH THE MAJOR IMPORTING COUNTRIES APPLYING ONLY GENERAL SCHEME OF PREFERENCES.+

BUT HE ADMITTED THAT THIS IS HARDLY A FEASIBLE PROPOSITION AS FAR AS THE MAJOR IMPORTING COUNTRIES ARE CONCERNED, AND THE POINT WHICH MUST BE MADE IS THAT THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ACCEPTED THE MFA IN EXCHANGE FOR VERY EXPLICIT GUARANTEES IN RESPECT OF THE IR RIGHTS OF ACCESS.

THE THIRD THEME PROPOUNDED BY THE MAJOR IMPORTING COUNTRIES HAS BEEN REPEATED EVERY TIME THE MFA CAME UP FOR RENEWAL, * DR TIEN NOTED.

+1 MUST SAY CATEGOR ICALLY THAT THIS PROPOSAL IS THE RESULT OF A FURTHER MYTH.

+FOR IT IS BASED ON AN INCORRECT ASSUMPTION, NAMELY THAT THE MINIMUM GROWTH AND MINIMUM FLEXIBILITY PROVISIONS IN THE MFA WOULD OBLIGE THE DEVELOPED IMPORTING COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT A LEVEL OF IMPORTS FAR IN EXCESS OF BILATERALLY AGREED RESTRAINT LIMITS.+

POINTING OUT THAT THE DEMANDS ARE INTRINSICALLY UNFAIR AND FOUNDED ON UNJUSTIFIABLE PREMISES, DR TIEN SAID: I WOULD LIKE, THEREFORE, TO SEEK AN ASSURANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT WILL DO ALL IT CAN TO ATTACK THESE DEMANDS, BY ALL LEGITIMATE MEANS AT ITS DISPOSAL.

+I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEEK AN ASSURANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT WILL PUT AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS ALL THE RESOURCES HE REQUIRES FOR MAKING APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIONS.+

SPEAKING FOR THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY, HE PLEDGED ALL NECESSARY SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT AT EVERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY THAT MAY EXIST FOR DISCUSSING THE MFA IN OPEN FORUM.

+ THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG DO NOT WISH TO DIE AND FINISH- MERELY TO CONTINUE IN THE BUSINESS OF DYEING, FINISHING AND EXPORTING, HE ADDED.

REALISTIC ASSESSMENT NEEDED FOR OVERSEAS EDUCATION

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THE HON ALEX WU TODAY (WEDNESDAY) CALLED FOR A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION WHICH OVERSEAS UNIVERSITY EDUCATION MAKES TO OUR TOTAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES.

HE SAID NO MATTER HOW FAR WE MAY EVENTUALLY PROGRESS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION HERE IN HONG KONG, WE CAN NEVER HOPE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT.

AND IT WOULD NOT BE SENSIBLE, FROM THE EDUCATIONAL POINT OF VIEW, TO TRY.