XN000022-1985-06-29 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1985

HONG KONG TRADE POTENTIAL STRESSED

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THE POTENTIAL FOR THE EXPANSION OF EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY EXPORTS TO HONG KONG AND THE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE TERRITORY'S OPEN ECONOMY WERE STRESSED ON THURSDAY (JUNE 27) WHEN MR DEREK JONES, MINISTER FOR HONG KONG COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE EEC AND MEMBER STATES, AT THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN BRUSSELS MET MR JEAN-THOMAS NORDMANN WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT.

MR NORDMANN, WHO IS AT PRESENT DRAFTING A REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT, BELONGS TO THE LIBERAL GROUP OF THE EEC PARLIAMENT AS A MEMBER OF THE FRENCH RADICAL PARTY.

DURING THE MEETING, MR JONES EXPLAINED HONG KONG'S FREE ECONOMY AND ITS ABSENCE OF IMPORT BARRIERS AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE.

COMMENTING ON THE VISIT, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD SAID: IT WAS IMPRESSED ON MR NORDMANN THAT THERE WAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR THE EEC NATIONS TO INCREASE THEIR EXPORTS TO HONG KONG. THERE IS PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITY FOR FRENCH CONCERNS AND, OF COURSE, THE TERRITORY IS A VALUABLE BASE FOR TRADE WITH CHINA.

+ IT WAS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG MUST EXPORT TO PAY FOR THE IMPORTS IT NEEDS AND THAT THE TERRITORY USUALLY RUNS A VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT,+

NEW SOCIAL FACTS FROM FIGURES ******

LESS THAN ONE PER CENT OF CHINESE-SPEAKING PEOPLE IN HONG KONG BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 AND 29 ARE ILLITERATE, MORE RESIDENTS RETURN WITH DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS FROM CANADA THAN FROM ANY OTHER OUTSIDE PLACE, AND LESS PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 15 ARE SMOKING THESE DAYS.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE DATA COLLECTED ON VARIOUS SOCIAL TOPICS BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE ON-GOING GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY, AND PRESENTED IN A JUST-PUBLISHED SPECIAL TOPICS REPORT I NOW ON SALE.

/ILLITERACY