XN000022-1991-07-17 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1991

HE ASSURED THAT THE BILL WOULD ENSURE THAT THE INDUSTRY WAS NOT UNDULY FETTERED AS IT COMPETED IN THE U.S. MARKET.

HE SAID THE BILL WAS INTENDED, AMONG OTHER THINGS,

то SCHEME HONG KONG ΤΟ IMPLEMENT A SPECIAL LICENSING UNNECESSARY DOUBLE REQUIREMENT ON THE KNITWEAR INDUSTRY.

TO ENABLE REMOVE AN

KNITTED

THAT WAS TO SAY, HE ADDED, IN RESPECT OF CERTAIN PIECE GARMENTS FOR EXPORT TO THE U.S., ONLY THE PANEL-KNITTING PROCESS, AGAINST LINKING-AND-LOOPING AS WELL, MUST BE DONE IN HONG KONG.

MAKE

AS

NECESSARY TO

IN RESPONSE TO MEMBERS QUERIES AS TO WHY IT WAS THE CHANGE NOW, SIR PIERS EXPLAINED THAT HONG KONG FACED COMPETITION FROM CHINA, SOUTH KOREA AND TAIWAN AS WELL AS FROM EMERGING SUPPLIERS.

SEVERE OTHER

FACING UNCERTAIN "AT A TIME WHEN THE UNITED STATES MARKET IS

CENT PROSPECTS, AVERAGE HONG KONG PRICES OF SWEATERS ARE 10 TO 20 PER

IIE NOTED. HIGHER THAN THOSE OF OUR MAJOR COMPETITORS,

THE LAST THREE IT MUST BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE MAN-MADE

EXPORTS ΤΟ THE UNITED STATES IN VOLUME OVER

ALTHOUGH CENT, 10 PER BY

THAN YEARS DECLINED

MORE RECOGNISED THAT HALF OF THAT DECLINE MIGHT BE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF THE UNITED STATES ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES ON FIBRE SWEATERS.

HAS

KONG'S

"TAKING ALL THESE FACTORS INTO ACCOUNT, THE ADMINISTRATION

HONG WE

ΤΟ SHOULD ACT NOW

MAINTAIN THAT COMPETITIVENESS," SIR PIERS SAID.

CONCLUDED

THE IN REACHING THIS CONCLUSION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID

IMPACT OF ADMINISTRATION HAD TAKEN CAREFUL ACCOUNT OF THE POSSIBLE THESE PROPOSALS ON LOCAL EMPLOYMENT,

IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE PRECISELY THE NUMBERS INVOLVED, HE THAT ABOUT 2,500

SAID, BUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S BEST ESTIMATE WAS

LINKERS MIGHT BE AFFECTED.

WE

HAVE EMPHASISED

DISCUSSIONS

IN OUR "THAT IS WHY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INDUSTRY THE IMPORTANCE OF DEALING FAIRLY ANY PROBLEMS WHICH MIGHT ARISE FROM THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS.

WITH

WITH

AND SPECIAL ALLEGATIONS OF

"WE HAVE ASKED

REDEPLOYMENT CONSIDER THEM TO

ARRANGEMENTS TO

ENSURE THAT ANY PROBLEMS, INCLUDING SIR PIERS SAID. UNFAIR TREATMENT, CAN BE DEALT WITH,

'I

"

BELIEVE THE INDUSTRY IS FULLY APPRISED OF THE NEED TO REASONABLY WITH THIS ISSUE, AND IN PARTICULAR WITH ANY HARDSHIP WHICH MAY ARISE," HE ADDED.

HE

DEAL CASES

ASSOCIATIONS

THE

SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE TWO MAIN KNITWEAR HAD UNDERTAKEN TO MEMBERS NOT TO RETRENCH ANY LINKING WORKERS IF BILL WAS PASSED.

HE

ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE ASSOCIATIONS HAD ALSO SET UP A SERVICE CENTRE TO HELP RESOLVE ANY LABOUR PROBLEMS.

DECIDED TO

/HE SAID