XN000022-1984-11-05 — Page 3

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1984

2

HK PONDERS ACTION ON U.S. SWEATER HOLD-UPS

****

THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD,

MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT HONG KONG WAS URGENTLY CONSIDERING TAKING TO THE TEXTILES SURVEILLANCE BODY (TSB) IN GENEVA THE THREE CASES WHERE U.S. CUSTOMS HAD RECENTLY HELD UP SHIPMENTS OF HONG KONG-MADE SWEATERS.

A DECISION ON THIS WAS LIKELY THIS WEEK, HE SAID.

THE SHIPMENTS HAD BEEN REFUSED ENTRY UNDER THE NEW COUNTRY OF ORIGIN RULES, ALTHOUGH PROPERLY LICENSED UNDER THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT, HE TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE.

MR MACLEOD SAID THAT HONG KONG WAS ALSO CONSIDERING GOING TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT) IN VIEW OF THE NULLIFICATION AND IMPAIRMENT TO HONG KONG'S TRADE CAUSED BY THE NEW RULES, BUT THIS WAS A LONGER TERM MEASURE.

THESE STEPS WERE BEING CONSIDERED BECAUSE HONG KONG'S FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTION TO THE REGULATIONS WAS UNRESOLVED AND IT WOULD CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR THE RULES TO BE WITHDRAWN.

DURING TWO DAYS OF CONSULTATIONS IN WASHINGTON LAST WEEK THE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS WAS LEFT OPEN, TO BE CONSIDERED FURTHER IN THE LIGHT OF THE U.S. REVIEW OF THE REGULATIONS AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

THIS EMERGED FOLLOWING AMERICAN ASSURANCES THAT HONG KONG'S VIEWS WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE U.S. CUSTOMS' TECHNICAL REVIEW+ AND IN AN ASSOCIATED HIGH LEVEL +POLICY REVIEW+.

MR MACLEOD POINTED OUT TO THE AMERICAN DELEGATION THAT HONG KONG'S CURRENT REGISTRATION AND AUTHORISATION SYSTEMS, LICENSING, LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES WERE GEARED TO IMPLEMENT UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED PRINCIPLES OF ORIGIN WHICH HAD BEEN NULLIFIED UNILATERALLY IN RESPECT OF TEXTILE EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES BY THE NEW REGULATIONS, AND AGAIN FORMALLY REQUESTED THAT THE U.S. RESCIND THEM.

VALUE OF JOINT EFFORT STRESSED

*****

THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, LOCAL ORGANISATIONS, SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS IN THE PROMOTION OF RECREATION AND CULTURE WAS STRESSED TODAY BY THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.

J

+ THE GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE. THE GENERAL POLICIES AND THE MAJOR FACILITIES, BUT DISTRICT SPORTS AND CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS, SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, ALL PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE PROMOTION OF RECREATION AND CULTURE IN OUR SOCIETY, HE SAID.

/HE WAS