XN000022-1987-02-19 — Page 3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1987

SINO-BRITISH LAND COMMISSION

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THE TWO SIDES OF THE SINO-BRITISH LAND COMMISSION HAVE AGREED THAT THE COMMISSION'S ELEVENTH MEETING WILL BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 25, 1987. THE MEETING WILL DISCUSS THE EXTENSION OF NEW TERRITORIES LEASES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH 2 OF ANNEX III TO THE JOINT DECLARATION.

HO COMPLETES MISSION TO KOREA

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THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E.P. HO, WAS RETURNING TO HONG KONG THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING AFTER TWO DAYS OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND SENIOR KOREAN OFFICIALS IN SEOUL.

HE WAS ACCOMPANIED DURING HIS VISIT BY CURRENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TRADE AND DIRECTOR OF TRADE DESIGNATE, MR MICHAEL SZE.

THIS WAS THE LAST OF THREE VISITS UNDERTAKEN BY MR HO TO CONVEY HONG KONG'S FREE TRADE MESSAGE. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY VISITED TOKYO AND WASHINGTON.

WHILE IN SEOUL, THE DELEGATION MET THE MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR RHA WOONG-BAE, THE DIRECOTR-GENERAL OF THE MINISTRY'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE PROMOTION BUREAU, AND THE CHAIRMEN OF THE KOREAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND THE ILHAE FOUNDATION.

DISCUSSIONS CENTRED ON BILATERAL TRADE ISSUES, THE GATT NEW ROUND, AND THE THREAT OF PROTECTIONISM IN THE UNITED STATES.

ON TWO WAY TRADE, MR HO SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAMME OF LIBERALISATION ON IMPORTS OF MANUFACTURES AS WELL AS THE GROWTH IN HONG KONG'S DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO KOREA IN 1986.

HOWEVER, CERTAIN ITEMS OF INTEREST TO HONG KONG REMAINED UNDER SURVEILLANCE OR WERE NOT IN THE PROGRAMME OF LIBERALISATION AT ALL, AND THE OVERALL TRADE BALANCE REMAINED OVERWHELMINGLY IN KOREA'S FAVOUR.

+I THEREFORE URGED THOSE WHOM I MET TO NOTE OUR POSITION AS THE THIRD LARGEST IMPORTER OF KOREAN PRODUCTS, AND OUR LEGITIMATE INTEREST IN THEIR MARKET, HE SAID.

/ON MULTILATERAL