XN000022-1985-08-23 — Page 5

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1985

+ THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG HAS MADE ITS VIEWS ON THE UNREASONABLENESS OF THE THURMOND-JENKINS BILL KNOWN TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND TO INDIVIDUAL SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN.

+THESE VIEWS HAVE ALSO BEEN VOICED IN THE GATT COUNCIL AND THE GATT TEXTILES COMMITTEE. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO FORM A STRONG AND UNITED FRONT AGAINST THIS LEGISLATION, HE SAID.

A LOBBYIST, MR HO SAID, WAS ALSO WORKING IN THE UNITED STATES FOR HONG KONG'S TRADE INTERESTS.

+ BUT THIS ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. LOCAL INDUSTRIALISTS AND BUSINESSMEN NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF THE THURMOND-JENKINS BILL, THAT, AS THIS IS A BILL IN THE U.S. CONGRESS, IT CAN ONLY BE DEFEATED IN THE CONGRESS BY U.S. INTERESTS. ACCORDINGLY. OUR BUSINESSMEN MUST LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED IN ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE THE POWERS THAT BE IN THE UNITED STATES TO VOTE AGAINST THE BILL.+

FINALLY, MR HO SAID: THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED TO SATISFY THE SELFISH INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES TEXTILE AND APPAREL SECTORS WITHOUT REGARD TO THE DAMAGE IT COULD CAUSE TO THE WORLD ECONOMY. THE BILL IS NOT ONLY UNREASONABLE BUT ALSO VIOLATES THE UNITED STATES' INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.

+1 HOPE, THROUGH OUR VARIOUS EFFORTS, THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND SENATE WILL FINALLY MAKE A WISE DECISION NOT TO PASS THE BILL.+

BRIEFING FOR U.S. SENATORS

*****

SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TODAY (FRIDAY) MET WITH A PARTY LED BY UNITED STATES SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, SENATOR ROBERT DOLE.

THE THE PARTY WAS BRIEFED ON THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC SCENE OPEN NATURE OF THE TERRITORY'S MARKETS AND ITS COMMITMENT TO FREE TRADE.

PRESENT WERE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E. P. HO, AND THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD.

VACUUPANTING SALAA