XN000022-1981-04-10 — Page 11

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1981

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TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT. PUBLIC VEHICLES SECTION, MEZZANINE FLOOR,

MURRAY ROAD CAR PARK, HONG KONG ISLAND

OR

TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT

KOWLOON LICENSING OFFICE.

9TH FLOOR, PARK-IN COMMERCIAL CENTRE,

56 DUNDAS STREET,

KOWLOON

ANY ENQUIRIES ON HIRE CAR PERMITS CAN BE MADE BY CONTACTING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PUBLIC VEHICLE SECTION, AT TELEPHONE 5-256527.

JAPAN EXTENDS GSP TO TWO MORE HONG KONG PRODUCTS

****

JAPAN HAS EXTENDED BENEFITS UNDER ITS GENERALISED SCHEME OF

- LEATHER FOOTWEAR AND PREFERENCES TO TWO MORE HONG KONG PRODUCTS JEWELLERY OF PRECIOUS METAL.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR BILL DORWARD SAID: THIS IS A VERY WELCOME MOVE. HONG KONG HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BENEFICIARY UNDER THE JAPANESE SCHEME, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A SPECIAL LIST OF EXCLUSIONS FROM THE TIME IT BEGAN 10 YEARS AGO. ORIGINALLY THERE WERE ABOUT 90 PRODUCTS ON THE LIST BUT THESE HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY REDUCED, AND THIS LATEST IMPROVEMENT BRINGS THE NUMBER DOWN TO FIVE.+

THE FIVE ITEMS REMAINING ON THE EXCLUSION LIST ARE TRAVEL GOODS, ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS, GLASS BEADS, IMMITATION JEWELLERY, AND TOYS. EXPORTS OF THESE ITEMS TO JAPAN IN 1980 WERE WORTH OVER HK$200 MILLION, ABOUT NINE PER CENT OF TOTAL HONG KONG EXPORTS TO JAPAN.

+ALTHOUGH I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT A SPECIAL HONG KONG EXCLUSION LIST IS STILL BEING MAINTAINED, I APPRECIATE THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES WHICH THE JAPANESE AUTHORITIES HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME TO MAKE THIS IMPROVEMENT.

+WE SHALL BE CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO PERSUADE THEM TO EXTEND PREFERENCES ON THE REMAINING ITEMS IN THE SAME WAY AS THEY DO FOR OUR CLOSE COMPETITORS,+ SAID MR DORWARD.

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