XN000022-1985-11-20 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1985

MR PAUL WONG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TRADE, SAID THE MOST DIRECT THREAT TO HONG KONG CAME IN THE BILL'S PROPOSALS ON GSP GRADUATION.

+ IT SAYS THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SET CRITERIA FOR FULL GRADUATION OF ADVANCED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (INCLUDING HONG KONG, KOREA AND TAIWAN) WITHIN 90 DAYS OF ENACTMENT.

+THE CRITERIA ARE TO BE BASED ON PER CAPITA INCOME AND DEMONSTRATED EXPORT CAPABILITY IN THE ABSENCE OF GSP. THE BILL REQUIRES THAT SUCH COUNTRIES WOULD BE GRADUATED FROM GSP WITHIN TWO YEARS OF ENACTMENT, + MR WONG SAID.

MR WONG SAID HONG KONG'S COMMISSIONER FOR COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS IN NEW YORK, MR BILL DORWARD, AND THE TERRITORY'S LOBBYISTS WERE MEETING WITH KEY SENATORS AND THEIR ASSISTANTS TO EXPLAIN WHY HONG KONG STILL NEEDED GSP ELIGIBILITY.

+THE PRECISE MEANING OF THE GSP PROVISION IS UNCLEAR,+ SAID MR WONG. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND IT IS NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT THIS PROVISION WILL BE INCLUDED IN ANY FINAL VERSION OF THE BILL.

+THERE ARE OF COURSE, THREE OTHER SIMILAR TRADE

PACKAGES WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW FAR ANY OF THESE BILLS WILL GO,+ HE SAID.

LADY YOUDE TO OPEN NORTH DISTRICT FLOWER SHOW

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LADY YOUDE WILL BE THE GUEST-OF-HONOUR AND WILL OFFICIATE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE TENTH NORTH DISTRICT FLOWER SHOW IN MARCH.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED TODAY BY THE RSD'S STAFF OFF ICER (HORTICULTURE), MR WOO WING-KUI, AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE NORTH DISTRICT COMMITTEE OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL.

THE FLOWER SHOW, SPONSORED BY THE NORTH DISTRICT BOARD IS JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANISATIONS.

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE FLOWER SHOW HAD BECOME A MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENT AND WAS STILL THE ONLY SHOW OF ITS KIND IN THE NON-URBAN AREAS, THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION OF $50 000.

/+THE CONTRIBUTION