XN000022-1992-06-02 — Page 10

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 1992

GOVT DEVOTED TO TACKLING ILLICIT TRADE PRACTICE

THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR DONALD TSANG, SAID THE TRADE DEPARTMENT MAY HAVE TO TAKE MUCH STRONGER MEDICINE TO TACKLE ANY ILLICIT TRADE PRACTICE SO AS TO PROTECT HONG KONG'S GOOD NAME.

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE CITY LIONS CLUB TODAY (TUESDAY), HE SAID HE WOULD, IF NECESSARY, SEEK ADDITIONAL LEGAL POWERS AND RESOURCES TO ATTACK THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL TRANSHIPMENT.

HE ALSO CALLED ON TRADERS TO REPORT ANY ORIGIN OR TRANSHIPMENT

FRAUD.

MR TSANG SAID TRANSHIPMENT DISCOVERED RECENTLY.

FRAUD OF A DIFFERENT KIND WAS

THERE HAD BEEN CASES OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS PASSING THROUGH HONG WITH THE INTENTION OF CHEATING THE IMPORTING COUNTRY BY FRAUDULENT ORIGIN DECLARATIONS EXECUTED OUTSIDE HONG KONG.

KONG

THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMBATTING ILLEGAL TRANSHIPMENT OF THIS SORT LAY WITH THE THIRD COUNTRY UNDER WHOSE QUOTA THE GOODS WERE EXPORTED TO THE MARKET.

"NEVERTHELESS, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN, WE WILL WISH TO STOP HONG KONG BEING INVOLVED IN SUCH ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES," MR TSANG SAID.

"OUR TRADING PARTNERS HAVE ALSO SHOWN INCREASING CONCERN THAT KONG MIGHT BECOME A FAVOURABLE PORT FOR SUCH ILLEGALLY TRANSHIPPED GOODS.

HONG

"IN PARTICULAR,

THERE HAVE BEEN ALLEGATIONS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE ACTING AS THE MIDDLEMEN OR MASTERMINDS BEHIND ILLEGAL

TRANSHIPMENTS.

"TO PROTECT HONG KONG'S GOOD NAME, THE TRADE DEPARTMENT WILL ATTACK THIS PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL TRANSHIPMENT.

IF NECESSARY, I SHALL SEEK ADDITIONAL LEGAL POWERS AND RESOURCES FOR THE PURPOSE, MR TSANG SAID.

*

WHILST NO SYSTEM WAS PERFECT, MR TSANG WAS PROUD OF HONG KONG'S TEXTILE EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH HAD BEEN RECOGNISED WORLDWIDE ΤΟ BE ONE OF THE BEST.

NOT SO LONG AGO, AT A FORMAL HEARING IN THE U.S. CONGRESS ON TEXTILE FRAUD, HONG KONG WAS PRAISED FOR PROVIDING THE BEST CO-OPERATION IN THE WORLD TO THE U.S. CUSTOMS IN STAMPING OUT TEXTILE

FRAUD.

"TO PROTECT OUR TRADE WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE MUCH STRONGER

MEDICINE.

"MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE EXAMINING WHETHER WE CAN FURTHER TIGHTEN OUR CONTROL SYSTEM AND THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH IT OPERATES.

/"WE MAY

Page 10Page 11