XN000022-1987-07-22 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1987

7

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UNITED STATES SENATE TRADE BILL

THE UNITED STATES SENATE APPROVED A TRADE BILL ON TUESDAY BY A MAJORITY OF 71 VOTES TO 27.

THE BILL PROVIDES FOR RETALIATION

AND MIGHT MAKE UNFAIR TRADING PRACTICES STATES MORE DIFFICULT.

WITH AGAINST COUNTRIES

ΤΟ EXPORTING

THE UNITED

A TRADE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY): "THE U.S. IS IMPOSSIBLE ΤΟ SAY AT TRADE BILL STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO. IT

THE MOMENT IT IS THIS STAGE WHAT THE FINAL BILL WILL LOOK LIKE. AT OVER 1,000 PAGES LONG AND INCLUDES 275 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

HE ADDED THAT THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAD APPROVED DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE BILL IN APRIL.

A

MEMBERS

FOR THE HOUSE THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT "THE NEXT STEP WILL BE AND SENATE VERSIONS OF THE BILL TO BE BROUGHT TOGETHER BY KEY OF THE TWO CHAMBERS TO IRON OUT A COMPROMISE TEXT IN CONFERENCE. IS NOT LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE UNTIL AT LEAST SEPTEMBER.

"THE BILL THEN HAS TO GO TO THE PRESIDENT, WHO VETO IT.

THIS

MAY CHOOSE TO

OF PROVISIONS WHICH AS IT STANDS, THE BILL CONTAINS A NUMBER

WHERE PARTICULARLY

THEY ERODE THE ARE OBJECTIONABLE TO HONG KONG, PRESIDENT'S DISCRETION IN NEGOTIATING TRADE AGREEMENTS. THESE WILL NOT SURVIVE THE CONFERENCE STAGE, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

HOPEFULLY

RUTTONJEE HOSPITAL TO BE RE-DEVELOPED

THE RUTTONJEE SANATORIUM IN WAN CHAI WILL BE GENERAL HOSPITAL FROM AN ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WHICH IS NOW UNDERWAY.

INTO UPGRADED

A INSTITUTION UNDER A

FUNDS FOR THE EXTENSIVE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF THE OLD DISEASES HOSPITAL, RUN BY THE HONG KONG TUBERCULOSIS, CHEST AND HEART ASSOCIATION, HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE CAPITAL COST

OF WHICH OF THE PROGRAMME IS ESTIMATED TO BE $279.9 MILLION

80 PER CENT IS CONTRIBUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THE REDEVELOPMENT