XN000022-1990-05-17 — Page 5

MAY 17. 1990

THURSDAY, MAY 17,

MAXIMISING ACCESS OF HK'S EXPORTS IMPORTANT

*

THE GOVERNMENT IS FULLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE

MARKETS, KONG'S

IN EXPORTS

OVERSEAS ACCESS OF HONG DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR MATTHEW

MORNING.

OF MAXIMISING AN ASSISTANT

CHEUNG, SAID THIS (THURSDAY)

IN BEST

OUR "TO THIS END WE SHALL TRY

NEGOTIATIONS TRADE ROUND OF MULTILATERAL MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE

TO SECURE AN MFA-BASED CLOTHING IN PARTICULAR,

I

SPEAKING AT A

TRANSITIONAL HE SAID.

THE CURRENT URUGUAY TO ACHIEVE AN OPEN IN GENERAL, AND TEXTILES AND

FOR ARRANGEMENT

FOR GARMENT WITH THE AN ENABLE OUR

MANUFACTURERS,

"OPPORTUNITIES ON SEMINAR

MR

COUPLED CHEUNG SAID 90'S" IN THE MANUFACTURERS

VERSATILITY OF HONG KONG'S ADAPTABILITY AND

CERTAINLY SYSTEM WOULD TRADING IMPROVED INTERNATIONAL EXPORTS TO GROW FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.

HE SAID LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE, HONG WERE FACING GREAT CHALLENGES IN THE 1990'S.

KONG'S GARMENT EXPORTS

INTO A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT THE USA AND CANADA HAD ENTERED

OF TARIFF (FTA) WHOSE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE WAS THE EVENTUAL ELIMINATION AND NON-TARIFF TRADE BARRIERS.

OF HONG UNDUE CAUSE FOR AND THE RELATIVELY LONG

HOWEVER, THE IMPACT OF THE FTA ON THE COMPETITIVENESS KONG'S EXPORTS TO THE TWO COUNTRIES SHOULD NOT GIVE

GIVEN CONCERN,

THE PRICE DIFFERENTIALS DURATION OF TARIFF BLIMINATION UNDER THE FTA.

SURVEYED BY FTA ON JANUARY

AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE SAID, HONG KONG COMPANIES THE TRADE DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1 LAST YEAR GENERALLY EXPRESSED A CAUTIOUS WELCOME.

THEY NOTED THAT THE FTA SHOULD IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF AND EMPLOYMENT IN CANADA, THEREBY INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE MARKET, MR CHEUNG SAID.

PRODUCTION CANADIAN

PROSPECT OF GROWING CANADIAN THEY CONSIDERED THAT, WITH THE

THE FTA SHOULD ALSO DEMAND AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO THE U.S. MARKET, MAKE CANADA MORE ATTRACTIVE TO INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT.

TURNING TO THE EEC, MR CHEUNG SAID IT WAS

IMPACT OF PREDICT, AT THIS MOMENT, THE LIKELY MARKET ON THE GARMENT SECTOR.

LIKELY

DIFFICULT QUITE THE

SINGLE

то

BUROPEAN

OUTCOME CAN PERHAPS "A MORE ACCURATE FORECAST OF THE

" HE SAID. ONLY BE MADE NEARER 1992 WHEN CLEARER INDICATIONS EMERGE,

/ON THE