XN000022-1984-05-08 — Page 3

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1984

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IN CARRYING OUT THE STUDY, THE TEAM WILL CONSULT THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

HE SAID THAT THE STUDY IS ALSO URGENTLY NEEDED NOW THAT HONG KONG'S PORT DEVELOPMENTS HAVE REACHED A WATERSHED.

TRACING THE HISTORY OF MAJOR PORTS AROUND THE WORLD, HE SAID THAT FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, LITTLE IMPROVEMENT HAD BEEN NEEDED.

+ IN HONG KONG, FOR INSTANCE, THERE WAS HARDLY ANY CHANGE FROM 1842 TO 1960, AS CÁRGOES WERE WORKED IN THE STREAM. BUT WITH THE ADVENT OF THE CONTAINER ERA IN THE LATE 1960'S, THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF PORT OPERATION WAS REVOLUTIONISED,+ MR TANG`SAID.

WHAT IS MORE, THOUGH A PIGMY IN SIZE, HONG KONG IS NOW A GIANT IN TRADE, AS A SERIES OF EXPORT BOOMS HAS TURNED IT INTO THE WORLD'S 14TH LARGEST EXPORTING TERRITORY, AND HONG KONG'S PORT AND ITS TRAFFIC HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERTWINED WITH ITS TRADE.

+TO MAINTAIN THIS PRE-EMINENCE, A LONG-TERM STUDY TO IDENTIFY SHORTFALLS AND FUTURE NEEDS IS VITAL, AS PORT DEVELOPMENTS REQUIRE A LENGTHY LEAD TIME.

+THE STUDY WILL ASSIST BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THEIR FORWARD PLANNING WHICH IS ESSENTIAL IN THE GROWING COMPLEXITY OF TODAY'S BUSINESS WORLD, HE SAID.

GATT TEXTILE BODY ACTS ON TWO U.S. 'CALLS'

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THE TEXTILES SURVEILLANCE BODY OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE IN GENEVA HAS MADE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING UNITED STATES RESTRAINTS ON HONG KONG EXPORTS IN CATEGORIES 637 (MAN-MADE FIBRE PLAYSUITS, SUNSUITS, ETC.) AND 652 (MAN-MADE FIBRE UNDERWEAR).

THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, ON HIS RETURN FROM PRESENTING THE HONG KONG CASE TO THE TSB, DESCRIBED THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS +MOST ENCOURAGING+.

HOWEVER, HE EXPLAINED THAT THE DETAILS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS COULD NOT BE ANNOUNCED YET PENDING CONFIRMATION BY THE TSB AND THEIR OFFICIAL RELEASE BY THE GATT SECRETARIAT.

DURING CONSULTATIONS ON THESE TWO CATEGORIES HELD IN WASHINGTON, HONG KONG REJECTED THE U.S. CASE FOR RESTRAINTS IN BOTH CATEGORIES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REFERRED THE MATTER TO THE TSB FOR CONSIDERATION. THESE WERE THE FIRST TWO CATEGORIES CALLED+ BY THE U.S. IN 1984.

SINCE THEN A FURTHER THREE CALLS+ (REQUESTS FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH A VIEW TO INTRODUCING RESTRAINT LIMITS) HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE U.S., AND CONSULTATIONS ON THESE ARE LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE TOWARDS THE END OF MAY.

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