XN000022-1991-12-03 — Page 12

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1991

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USA 'HIT LIST' SCRUTINISED

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE, YESTERDAY (DECEMBER 2) OFFICIALLY RELEASED THE PROPOSED LIST OF CHINESE EXPORTED PRODUCTS WHICH MAY BE SUBJECT TO RETALIATORY TARIFFS UNDER THE SPECIAL 301 PROVISION.

CHAMBERS INDUSTRY

THE TRADE DEPARTMENT HAS SENT THE FULL LIST TO LOCAL OF COMMERCE AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS TODAY (TUESDAY) INVITING LEADERS AND TRADERS TO GIVE VIEWS ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE COVERAGE OF THE LIST AND ITS LIKELY IMPACT TO HONG KONG '9 INTERESTS.

IN THE COVERING LETTER, TRADE DEPARTMENT ASSURED OFFICIALS WERE MAKING AN EFFORT TO SCRUTINISE THE LIST.

TRADING

TRADERS THAT

"WE ARE WORKING ON THE LIST TO ASSESS THE INTENDED COVERAGE AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH HONG KONG'S TRADING INTERESTS MAY BE AFFECTED.

"HOWEVER, THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN THE US AND HONG KONG HARMONIZED SYSTEM (H9) OF TRADE CLASSIFICATION WHICH CAUSE DIFFICULTIES IN CORRELATING CERTAIN US HARMONIZED SYSTEM PRODUCT CODES TO HONG KONG HARMONIZED SYSTEM PRODUCT CODES.

"THE HONG KONG HARMONIZED SYSTEM PRODUCT CODES ARE REQUIRED TO RETRIEVE HONG KONG RE-EXPORT DATA, THE LETTER SAID.

M

THE TRADE DEPARTMENT PROMISED TRADERS THAT IT WOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM AGAIN ONCE THERE WERE PROGRESS.

THE TRADE DEPARTMENT BRIEFED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RELEVANT TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE LAST THURSDAY, TRADERS WERE TOLD THAT THE EXAMINATION PROCESS MIGHT TAKE SOMETIME BECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTIES OVER THE PRECISE AMOUNT OF TRADE COVERED BY THE LIST.

THE USA 'HIT LIST' WILL BE REPRODUCED IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE TRADE DEPARTMENT COMMERCIAL INFORMATION CIRCULAR (CIC) TO BE PUBLISHED BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

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