XN000022-1985-07-24 — Page 31

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WED!

FLY 24, 1985

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WARNING OF NEW PROTECTIONIST MEAS:

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THE FIERCE BATTLE AGAINST U.S. TRADE PROTECTIONISM WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME, AND A NEW WAVE OF PROTECTIONIST MEASURES MAY EMERGE IN OTHER MARKETS FOR HONG KONG'S EXPORTS, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR DONALD TSANG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE GAVE THESE WARNINGS WHEN HE SPOKE AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB, KOWLOON WEST, AND ADDING THAT THE MULTI-FI BRE ARRANGEMENT (MFA) RENEGOTIATION STARTED YESTERDAY WOULD BE A TWELVE-MONTH TASK.

+WE HAVE MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS AHEAD,+ HE STRESSED.

MR TSANG SAID THE TRADE DEPARTMENT WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE TRADE AND TEXTILE ADVISORY BOARDS WHICH WERE FULLY INFORMED OF ALL TRADE DEVELOPMENTS AND ISSUES.

+AS THE SUBJECTS OF CONSULTATION OFTEN RELATE TO SENSITIVE TRADE INTELLIGENCE AND DETAILED NEGOTIATING POSITION, THE DELIBERATIONS OF THESE BOARDS HAVE TO BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.

+ALL THIS EXPLAINS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHY WE DID NOT PUBLICLY DISCUSS THE JENKINS BILL UNTIL RECENTLY, ALTHOUGH WE HAD BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENE AND CONSULTING CLOSELY WITH TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD SINCE FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.+

+THIS EXPLAINS WHY, IN THE PUBLIC EYES, THE TRADE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT ALWAYS SEEM TO ACT SWIFTLY, DECISIVELY AND ACCORDING TO PUBLIC PERCEIVED INTERESTS.+

AS REGARDS THE JENKINS BILL, MR TSANG SAID HONG KONG KNEW ABOUT IT SIX WEEKS BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED.

+LET THERE BE NO DOUBT THAT WE WERE THE FIRST TEXTILE TRADING TERRITORY IN THE WORLD TO IDENTIFY THE DANGERS OF THE BILL AND TO ACT AGAINST IT.+

THE DIRECTOR SAID THE DEPARTMENT'S MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES WERE TO CONDUCT HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS WITH THE OBJECT OF FACILITATING TRADE AND TO ADMINISTER TRADE CONTROLS - SUCH AS TEXTILE QUOTAS - WHICH FLEW FROM OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THOSE AGREEMENTS.

+ IT IS A DEPARTMENT WHICH DEALS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS ON TRADE. IT IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF TRADE PROMOTION.

+THUS, THE TRADE DEPARTMENT'S JOB IS NEVER GLAMOUROUS OR HIGH PROFILE. THE TASK IS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS MOSTLY CREATED BY OTHER COUNTRIES, HE SAID.

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