XN000022-1993-01-08 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1993

MR CHAU ALSO SAID HE WAS PLEASED WITH THE NEGOTIATION PROGRAMME ON INVESTMENT PROMOTION AGREEMENTS (IPPA) WHICH STARTED IN LATE 1991.

PROGRESS OF THE AND PROTECTION

THE "IN ABOUT A YEAR'S TIME, WE HAVE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH

AND NETHERLANDS,

INITIALLED SEVEN OTHER AGREEMENTS

CANADA, WITH AUSTRALIA, SWEDEN, DENMARK, SWITZERLAND, GERMANY AND ITALY," HE SAID.

OF

IN THE AREA OF CONSUMER PROTECTION, 1992 SAW THE ENACTMENT

TOYS AND LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE FOR MINIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR

EFFECT IN CHILDREN PRODUCTS IN NOVEMBER WHICH WOULD BE BROUGHT INTO JULY 1993, MR CHAU SAID.

MEANWHILE, A REVIEW OF THE REGULATION OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY IN TO HONG KONG HAD BEEN COMPLETED, AND A TRAVEL AGENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL

CONSIDERATION GIVE EFFECT TO THE REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS WAS NOW UNDER BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.

LOOKING

CONTINUE AHEAD, MR CHAU SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CONSUMER COUNCIL TO PROMOTE COMPETITION.

TO

"ADDITIONAL RESOURCES HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO THE CONSUMER COUNCIL

SECTOR-SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH ADVICE AND INPUT CONDUCTING

FROM BRANCHES AND DEPARTMENTS

FOR

RELEVANT SAID.

GOVERNMENT

WHERE

NECESSARY,"

HE

THE GOVERNMENT

ALSO PLANNED

то

HE

THAT ADDED

INTRODUCE

LEGISLATION ON

CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY IN THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

ONE VERY SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT IN 1992 WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUSINESS COUNCIL, HE SAID.

MOBILISE OFFER TO ITS ECONOMIC

"THE PURPOSE OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUSINESS COUNCIL IS TO THE VERY BEST TALENT AND EXPERIENCE THAT HONG KONG HAS TO ADVISE THE GOVERNOR ON HOW BEST HONG KONG CAN SUSTAIN GROWTH, NOW AND INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, HE SAID.

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VOLUME AND PRICE MOVEMENTS OF EXTERNAL TRADE IN OCTOBER

**

IN THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF LAST YEAR, THE VOLUME OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS INCREASED BY 1% AS COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1991, WHILE THAT OF RE-EXPORTS INCREASED BY 30%, ACCORDING ΤΟ STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

TAKING DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND RE-EXPORTS TOGETHER, THE VOLUME OF TOTAL EXPORTS INCREASED BY 21%. IMPORTS INCREASED BY 23% IN VOLUME.

THE GROWTH IN THE VOLUME OF TRADE IS DERIVED FROM THE GROWTH IN TRADE VALUES WITH THE EFFECT OF PRICE CHANGES BEING DISCOUNTED.

/AS REGARDS