XN000022-1992-12-09 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1992

AND

WAYS.

THE CONSUMER COUNCIL ALSO PERFORMS ITS FUNCTION OF PROTECTING PROMOTING THE INTERESTS OF CONSUMERS OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN MANY

FOR EXAMPLE, IT COLLECTS AND DISSEMINATES INFORMATION, ANSWERS ENQUIRIES ON THE RIGHTS OF PATIENTS AND REDRESS CHANNELS, PUBLISHES ARTICLES ON GENERAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL MATTERS IN ITS MONTHLY MAGAZINE, ADVISES ON CODES OF PRACTICE AND ON WAYS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS, AND REFERS COMPLAINTS RELATING TO MEDICAL SERVICES TO THE RELEVANT BOARDS, COUNCILS AND AUTHORITIES FOR ACTION.

REVIEW OF STRATEGIC COMMODITIES SCHEDULE COMPLETED

* *

THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE HAS JUST COMPLETED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE SCHEDULE что THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (STRATEGIC COMMODITIES) REGULATIONS WITH THE AIM OF REFLECTING IN HONG KONG LEGISLATION THE CHANGES AGREED BY THE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR MULTILATERAL EXPORT CONTROLS (COCOM).

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH CHAU, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HUANG CHEN-YA THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

IN

MR CHAU SAID THE NECESSARY AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHEDULE, WHICH WOULD BE PROMULGATED SHORTLY, WOULD APPLY TO CHINA AS WELL AS OTHER EXPORT DESTINATIONS.

THE GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS EXPORT CONTROL ON HIGH-TECH THROUGH THE IMPORT AND EXPORT ORDINANCE.

MR CHAU SAID CONTROL WAS EXERCISED IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EXPORT CONTROL REGIMES, INCLUDING

COCOM.

THE LIST OF CONTROLLED COMMODITIES IS PUBLISHED AS A TO THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (STRATEGIC COMMODITIES) REGULATIONS.

PRODUCTS

VARIOUS THAT OF

SCHEDULE

"THE SCHEDULE IS REGULARLY UPDATED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT CHANGES IN INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE," MR CHAU SAID.

COCOM LAST YEAR AGREED ON MAJOR REVISIONS TO ITS EMBARGO LISTS.

THESE INVOLVED SIGNIFICANT LIBERALISATION IN MANY AREAS, WITH THE NUMBER OF DUAL-USE ITEMS UNDER CONTROL BEING MUCH REDUCED.

"MAJOR REVISIONS TO THE SCHEDULE NECESSARILY TAKE TIME BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY AND TECHNICAL NATURE OF THE CONTROL LISTS.

"HOWEVER, APART FROM MAJOR REVISIONS, CHANGES INTRODUCED IN THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EXPORT CONTROL REGIMES ARE IMPLEMENTED BY GOVERNMENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE," MR CHAU SAID.

THE

/HE SAID

1

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