XN000022-1985-09-16 — Page 2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1985

TWO NEW LOBBYISTS TO FIGHT PROTECTIONISM

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HONG KONG'S FIGHT AGAINST THE PROTECTIONIST JENKINS BILL IN THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN STEPPED UP WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO ADDITIONAL LOBBYING FIRMS.

THE TWO FIRMS ARE BILL HECHT AND ASSOCIATES INC AND R. DUFFY WALL AND ASSOCIATES INC. THEY WILL WORK IN CO-OPERATION WITH HONG KONG'S EXISTING LOBBYIST, FRENCH AND COMPANY. THE TWO NEW FIRMS ARE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED ÎN FIGHTING PROTECTIONIST LEGISLATION. THE LOBBYISTS WILL OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH HONG KONG'S LEGAL CONSULTANTS IN WASHINGTON, MUDGE ROSE, GUIHRIE, ALEXANDER AND FERDON.

THE NEW APPOINTMENTS FOLLOWED SELECTION INTERVIEWS IN WASHINGTON LAST WEEK CARRIED OUT BY MR HANISH MACLEOD, DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR JACK TANG, OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL,

MR KENNETH FANG, TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER, AND MR WILLIAM DORWARD, COMMISSIONER FOR COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS. A NUMBER OF FIRMS ON A SHORTLIST PRODUCED AFTER PRELIMINARY SCREENING WERE INTERVIEWED.

MR DORWARD WILL NOW CHAIR A WEEKLY CO-ORDINATION MEETING IN WASHINGTON OF OFFICIALS, LOBBYISTS AND CONSULTANTS.

A SHORT-TO-MEDIUM-TERM STRATEGY FOR FUTURE ACTION HAS ALREADY BEEN PREPARED AND DISCUSSED IN WASHINGTON, AND THIS WILL BE FURTHER CONSIDERED THIS WEEK BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF TEXTAB SET UP TO ADVISE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST THE JENKINS BILL AND OTHER PROTECTIONIST TEXTILE MEASURES.

THE STRATEGY INCLUDES OBJECTIVES AND DEPLOYMENT PLANS. THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL IS REPRESENTED ON THE STANDING COMMITTEE.

+THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWO ADDITIONAL LOBBYING FIRMS AND THE CONSIDERABLE STRENGTHENING OF THE WASHINGTON OFFICE RECENTLY SHOWS THAT HONG KONG HAS DEPLOYED MAJOR RESOURCES TO COUNTER THIS THREAT TO OUR TRADE,+ SAID MR MACLEOD.

+OUR EFFORT IS CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER SINGLE DEVELOPING EXPORTING COUNTRY.

*THE SITUATION, HOWEVER, DOES REMAIN CRITICAL. PROTECTIONIST FEELING IN THE UNITED STATES IS ALMOST OVERWHELMING. IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT WHILE THE TRADE DEPARTMENT, TEXTAB AND THE TDC WILL SPARE NO EFFORT TO FIGHT THE JENKINS BILL, NEARLY ALL THE ODDS ARE AGAINST US. THERE WILL BE NO MAGIC SWING IN OUR FAVOUR.

+WE HAVE BEEN WORKING AGAINST THE JENKINS BILL SINCE LONG BEFORE IT ATTRACTED MEDIA AND PUBLIC ATTENTION. WE SHALL CONTINUE THE FIGHT AND WILL LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES KNOW JUST HOW MUCH PROTECTIONISM WOULD TAKE FROM THE IR POCKETS AND HOW DAMAGING IT WOULD BE TO WORLD TRADE.+

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