XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1985

POINTING OUT THAT THERE WAS CONTINUING CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND THE MAJOR TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG, MR HO SAID THE DEPARTMENT WORKS PARTICULARLY CLOSELY WITH THE TDC, BOTH IN HONG KONG AND OVERSEAS.

MR HO SHARED THE CONCERN EXPRESSED OVER THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF AMERICAN PROTECTIONIST SENTIMENT AND THE RECENT CONTROVERSY OVER THE U.S. RULES OF ORIGIN.

NOTING THAT HONG KONG WAS OPEN WITHOUT TARIFF OR

QUOTA TO U.S. GOODS AND SERVICES AND THAT WE HAD ABIDED BY OUR COMMITMENTS UNDER THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT, MR HO SAID THAT THERE WAS NO CASE FOR THE U.S. TO IMPOSE EVEN TIGHTEN RESTRAINTS ON HONG KONG.

HE HOPED THAT THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE APPOINTMENT OF A LOBBYIST BY THE TDC TO REPRESENT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD GO SOME WAY TO MEETING THE NEED FOR GREATER EFFORTS TOWARDS INFLUENCING OPINION AND PROMOTING HONG KONG'S CASE IN OUR PRINCIPAL MARKETS.

HOWEVER MR HO DISAGREED WITH A PROPOSAL FOR A HALF PER CENT CHARGE ON THE VALUE OF ALL IMPORTS, OTHER THAN FOOD STUFFS, AS THIS SUGGESTION WOULD BE REGARDED AS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO OUR EFFORTS IN THE EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS FIELD.

+LIKEWISE MISS TAM'S PRIORITY FOR IMPORTED MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT MADE BY OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS WITH LOCAL INVESTMENT COULD OFFEND AGAINST THE GATT CODE ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT TO WHICH HONG KONG IS A PARTY, HE SAID.

GOVT KEEPING EYE ON RETAILERS' SERVICE

*****

SOME CRIMINAL SANCTIONS WOULD BE CALLED FOR IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO LEGISLATE TO PREVENT THE ABUSE OF CONSUMERS BY SOME RETAILERS, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, SAID TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE SAID LEGISLATION HAD TO BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY BOTH TOURISTS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS ABOUT THE UNSATISFACTORY SERVICE FROM A NUMBER OF RETAILERS +DEALING PRINCIPALLY IN RADIO EQUIPMENT, CAMERAS AND SO ON.+

BUT HE WAS FIRMLY OF THE VIEW THAT IF POSSIBLE IT WAS FAR BETTER TO RELY ON PERSUASION AND PUBLICITY RATHER THAN LEGISLATION, HE SAID.

/+IN HONG