XN000022-1992-05-15 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1992

THE "A CAUTIONARY NOTE FROM THESE OFFICIALS, HOWEVER, WAS THAT

IN CONGRESS ISSUE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE SUBJECT OF HEATED DEBATES IN THE COMING MONTHS,"

"I ALSO

MR CHAU SAID.

CALLED

ON SEVERAL

CONGRESSIONAL

LEADERS INCLUDING

OF

SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER ROBERT DOLE AND CHAIRMAN DAN ROSTENKOWSKI THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.

ROOM FOR

"I CAME AWAY WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT WHILE THERE IS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM, ANOTHER TOUGH BATTLE IN CONGRESS LAY AHEAD.

ΤΟ

SPARE NO EFFORT

HONG

IN PRESENTING "WE SHALL CONTINUE

IN THIS RESPECT WE KONG'S ARGUMENTS TO KEY CONGRESSIONAL TARGETS.

HE SHALL ALSO STEP UP OUR CO-ORDINATION WITH OUR ALLIES IN THE U.S., SAID.

AMBASSADOR

HILLS, I ALSO

נו

A

TOOK THE "DURING MY MEETING WITH OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE OTHER TRADE ISSUES INCLUDING THE PROSPECTS FOR

THE URUGUAY

AND ROUND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF

14 HE SAID. NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA,

SECTION

MR CHAU VISITED WASHINGTON D.C. FROM MAY 11 TO 13 AND

301

RETURNED

TO HONG KONG TODAY.

-

UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT STATISTICS FOR JANUARY MARCH

* * * * *

-

MARCH

THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR JANUARY 1992 WAS 2.4%, AND THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 2.2%, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST LABOUR FORCE STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THE

THE PROVISIONAL SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR

APRIL 1992 WAS 2.5%. WHILE THE PROVISIONAL UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 2.2%.

PERIOD FEBRUARY

COMPARING THE THREE MONTHS ENDING MARCH 1992 WITH THE PRECEDING THREE MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 1991, THE INCREASES IN THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE ARE BOTH STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.

IT APPEARS THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME EASING IN THE LABOUR MARKET IN RECENT MONTHS. BUT FURTHER EASING MAY NOT BE LIKELY, AS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY CONTINUED TO GROW STEADILY.

MARCH 1992, THE NUMBER OF

WHILE THE

OF FIRST- NUMBER

OF

DURING THE PERIOD JANUARY UNEMPLOYED PERSONS, ADJUSTED FOR VARIATIONS IN THE NUMBER TIME JOB-SEEKERS, WAS ESTIMATED AT 65,700, UNDEREMPLOYED PERSONS WAS ESTIMATED AT 61,900.

/IN ACCORDANCE