XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 31

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985

TDC AIMS FOR MORE TRADE WITH JAPAN

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THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL PLACED PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON . DEVELOPING TRADE WITH JAPAN AND IN NURTURING HONG KONG'S RAPIDLY GROWING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA, THE HON LYDIA DUNN SAID TODAY.

MISS DUNN, WHO WAS TABLING THE COUNCIL'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1983/84 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SAID THE COUNCIL HAD ALSC ENSURED THE CONTINUITY OF HONG KONG'S STRONG PROMOTIONAL PRESENCE IN ITS TRADITIONAL MAJOR MARKETS IN THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN EUROPE.

SHE SAID DURING THE YEAR, THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC CLIMATE HAD IMPROVED STEADILY, AND HONG KONG HAD ENJOYED A SATISFACTORY RECOVERY IN TRADE WHICH HAD BEEN SUSTAINED IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

+AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, THE TDC HAS MAINTAINED A HIGH LEVEL OF PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY WORLDWIDE IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL MANUFACTURERS AND TRADING COMPANIES, MISS DUNN SAID.

+ IN PARTICULAR, OUR STRATEGY HAS BEEN TO MAXIMISE OUR EFFORTS IN THOSE MARKETS WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASING TRADE IS GREATEST AND WHERE TDC SUPPORT IS MOST NEEDED.+

MISS DUNN SAID DURING THE YEAR THE TDC HAD ORGANISED 63 OVERSEAS TRADE PROMOTIONS IN 21 COUNTRIES.

THESE WERE WELL SUPPORTED BY SOME 650 HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS, MAINLY SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED COMPANIES.

IN ADDITION, PRODUCT SAMPLES FROM 1 700 COMPANIES WERE FEATURED IN 18 TRADE FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

IN HONG KONG HIGHLY PUBLICISED EVENTS SUCH AS THE HONG KONG WOOL KNITWEAR SHOW AND THE ANNUAL TOY AND GIFT FAIR REPRESENTED ONL Y A SMALL FRACTION OF THE TDC'S TOTAL ACTIVITY.

MISS DUNN SAID THE TDC'S TRADE PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES WERE CONTINUING AT A HIGH LEVEL.

EFFORTS TO PENETRATE THE JAPANESE MARKET HAD BEEN A MAJOR PRIORITY. AND THE RECENT ECONOMIC MISSION AND TOY PROMOTION IN TOKYO COMPLEMENTED THE PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES IN THAT MARKET.

A SECOND PRODUCT EXHIBITION IN CHINA WOULD BE STAGED IN SHANGHAI THIS MAY,

+ THE TDC WILL ALSO BE ASSUMING ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES, + SHE SAID.

/+BY AGREEMENT