XN000022-1989-04-06 — Page 11

THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1989

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TRADE DEPARTMENT STRIVES TO IMPROVE MARKET ACCESS

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THE TRADE DEPARTMENT IS DOING ITS BEST IN THE CURRENT URUGU Y ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATION UNDER THE GENERAL AGREEMET ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT) TO LIBERALISE WORLD TRADE, IMPROVE MARK T ACCESS AND STRENGTHEN DISCIPLINE IN THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM.

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR MATTHEW CHEUNG, TOLD SEMINAR THIS TODAY (THURSDAY).

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MR CHEUNG SAID APART FROM THE LEVEL OF CONSUMER DEMAND IN IT'S EXPORT MARKETS, HONG KONG'S CONTINUED ACCESS TO THESE MARKETS WAS ALS IMPORTANT AND ANY INTENSIFICATION OF PROTECTIONIST MEASURES WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT ITS EXPORTS AND WORLD TRADE IN GENERAL.

"THE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRADE DEPARTMENT ARE ΤΟ WORK FOR A FREER AND MORE OPEN WORLD TRADING SYSTEM AND TO SECURE AND PRESERVE FREE AND FAIR ACCESS FOR HONG KONG-MADE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN OVERSEAS MARKETS.

"IT PURSUES THESE OBJECTIVES MULTILATERALLY THROUGH HONG KONG'S FULL CONTRACTING PARTY STATUS IN THE GATT AND THROUGH BILATERAL TRADE RELATIONS WITH GOVERNMENTS IN HONG KONG'S MAJOR MARKETS, HE SAID, NOTING THAT HONG KONG BECAME THE 91ST CONTRACTING PARTY TO GATT IN APRIL 1986.

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"TO MAINTAIN CONTINUED ACCESS TO MARKETS ALREADY HONG KONG, TO REMOVE BARRIERS WHERE THEY EXIST AND TO GAIN ACCESS TO MARKETS THAT ARE CLOSED ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE TRADE DEPARTMENT,' HE ADDED.

MR CHEUNG SAID HONG KONG ACHIEVED ITS PRESENT-DAY TRADING PROMINENCE PARTLY BECAUSE OF ITS EXCELLENT DEEP-WATER PORT, ITS STRATEGIC POSITION AT THE VERY CENTRE OF THE FAST GROWING ASIA-PACIFIC REGION AND ITS POSITION AS THE NATURAL GATEWAY FOR TRADE WITH A RAPIDLY MODERNISING CHINA.

"BUT ANOTHER FUNDAMENTAL REASON FOR HONG KONG'S SUCCESS IS THE GOVERNMENT'S FIRM COMMITMENT TO FREE TRADE AND FREE ENTERPRISE.

"THIS POLICY ENSURES THAT THE ECONOMY ADJUSTS RAPIDLY TO CHANGES IN WORLD MARKET FORCES AND THAT RESOURCES ARE, CONSEQUENTLY, USED EFFICIENTLY AND PRODUCTIVELY."

MR CHEUNG POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE GATT 40 YEARS AGO, THERE HAD BEEN A VERY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN TRADE BARRIERS, LARGELY AS A RESULT OF SEVEN ROUNDS OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS UNDER THE GATT, LEADING TO AN UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION WORLD TRADE.

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"HONG KONG HAS CERTAINLY BENEFITTED FROM THIS TRADE EXPANSION AND HAS RISEN RAPIDLY IN THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF TRADING NATIONS,' HE SAID.

HONG KONG