XN000022-1985-11-22 — Page 9

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1985

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GROUP FORMED TO FIGHT PROTECTIONISM

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THE YEMBERSHIP OF THE NEW SUB-COMMITTEE AGAINST PROTECTIONISM (SCAP) WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD.

THE NEW GROUP COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH THE TRADE ADVISORY BOARD AND THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD.

THERE

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ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF OTHER LEADING INDUSTRY AND TRADE BODIES, INCLUDING THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES, THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION.

SERVING ON THE SUB-COMMITTEE WILL BE: MR KENNETH FANG.

MR WILLIAM FUNG, MR JACK TANG AND MISS ELEANOR WONG, OF TEXTAB- AR S.H. SUNG, MR KENNETH TING, MR PAUL YIN AND MRS ELEANOR LING,

MR JACK SO OF TAB, AND MR CHRISTOPHER CHENG, TEXTAB AND TAB. OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL IS A CO-OPTED MEMBER.

MR MACLEOD, WHO WILL CHAIR THE GROUP, SAID MEMBERS WOULD ASSIST IN TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS WITH RELEVANT INDUSTRY AND TRADE BODIES EXCEPT. OF COURSE, WHERE CONFIDENTIALITY RULED THAT OUT. IT WAS ALSO LIKELY THAT SCAP WOULD HOLD DISCUSSIONS 11TH INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS ETC. THE SUB-COMMITTEE WOULD PROBABLY HOLD ITS FIRST MEETING IN MID-DECEMBER WHEN IT WOULD CONSIDER CURRENT PROBLEMS AND DEVISE WORK PROGRAMME.

+THIS NEW GROUP WILL ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND GUIDE WAYS TO PROTECT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF U.S. PROTECTIONISM, + MR MACLEOD SAID.

U.S. HOUSE TO DEBATE TRADE BILL ****

LATEST INFORMATION FROM WASHINGTON IS THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WILL CONSIDER THE SENATE VERSION OF THE JENKINS-THURMOND BILL ON DECEMBER 3, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY.

MR MACLEOD EXPLAINED THAT THE RULES COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE DECIDED YESTERDAY TO PERMIT THE SENATE VERSION TO BE CONSIDERED ON DECEMBER 3.

+DEBATE WILL PROBABLY TAKE PLACE UNDER WHAT IS KNOWN AS CLOSED RULE ARRANGEMENTS, MR MACLEOD SAID.

+THIS MEANS THAT NO AMENDMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED. HOUSE APPROVES THE SENATE VERSION ON A SIMPLE MAJORITY BASIS, THEN IT WILL GO TO THE PRESIDENT WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A CONFERENCE STAGE, HE ADDED.

IF THE

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