XN000022-1985-07-06 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1985

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HK REPRESENTATIVE IN U.S. ATTACKS JENKINS

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HONG KONG COMMISSIONER FOR COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS IN NEW YORK, MR BILL DORWARD, TODAY (SATURDAY) TOOK ISSUE WITH RECENT STATEMENTS BY CONGRESSMAN EDGAR JENKINS, CO-AUTHOR OF THE BILL SEEKING TO RESTRICT TEXTILE IMPORTS TO THE U.S. NOW BEFORE THE CONGRESS.

SPEAKING IN AN INTERVIEW IN NEW YORK, MR DORWARD DESCRIBED AS +POPPYCOCK+ THE CONTENTION OF CONGRESSMAN JENKINS THAT +FREE TRADE COULD ONLY WORK IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WAGE SCALES WERE EQUAL IN COMPETING TERRITORIES.+

+ON THAT BASIS, VR DORWARD SAID, +ALL IMPORTS INTO THE U.S. WOULD BE BARRED.+

HE NOTED THAT WEST GERMANS ONLY EARN 75 PER CENT OF WHAT THEIR U.S. COUNTERPARTS DO, WHILE BRITISH WORKERS, AT 40 PER CENT, EARN LESS THAN THE JAPANESE AT 50 PER CENT.

+THIS IS SURELY THE SORT OF PHONEY JUSTIFICATION FOR TRADE BARRIERS THAT ANY FIRST YEAR STUDENT OF ECONOMICS COULD DESTROY WITH EASE,+ MR DORWARD SAID.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT DESPITE THE STRENGTH OF THE AMERICAN DOLLAR, WHICH WAS THE MAIN CAUSE OF TEXTILE INDUSTRY PROBLEMS, TOTAL U.S. EXPORTS WERE EXPECTED TO REACH U.S.$230 BILLION THIS YEAR, ABOUT FIVE PER CENT ABOVE THE 1984 FIGURE.

ONE JOB IN SIX IN AMERICAN INDUSTRY DEPENDS ON EXPORTS AND ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF U.S. FARMLAND PRODUCES FOR EXPORT.

+TO THREATEN THESE PROSPECTS BY ADDED PROTECTIONISM IS, AS MAO TSE-TUNG SAID, PICKING UP A STONE TO DROP ON YOUR FOOT,+ MR DORWARD SAID.

SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, VACANCIES, PAYROLL IN PROGRESS

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT IS CONDUCTING THE JUNE 1985 ROUND OF THE SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, VACANCIES AND PAYROLL IN MAJOR SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY, COVERING ABOUT 140 000 ESTABLISHMENTS.

THEY ARE RANDOMLY DRAWN FROM THOSE IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR (MINING AND QUARRYING MANUFACTURING ELECTRICITY AND GAS) AND SERVICES SECTOR (TRANSPORT, STORAGE AND COMMUNICATION; FINANCING, INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE AND BUSINESS SERVICES; COMMUNITY, SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICES), AND COVER ALL THOSE IN THE DISTRIBUTIVE TRADES SECTOR (WHOLESALE, RETAIL, IMPORT AND EXPORT TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS).

/QUESTIONNAIRES