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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1993
BUT HE SAID HE WAS STILL OPTIMISTIC THAT THE ROUND WOULD BE SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED ONE DAY.
**
"THERE IS TOO MUCH TO LOSE IF THE ROUND FAILS, HE SAID. "THE MAJOR TRADING NATIONS AND THE WORLD ECONOMY NEED THIS TRADE AGREEMENT. I AM HOPEFUL THAT GOOD SENSE WILL PREVAIL IN THE END.'
HE ADDED THAT HE WAS GLAD THAT HONG KONG HAD SUCCESSFULLY PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN SECURING AN EXTENSION OF THE MULTIFIBRE ARRANGEMENT AS A "BRIDGE" BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION OF UR TEXTILE AGREEMENT.
"THIS HAS GIVEN THE HONG KONG'S TEXTILES TRADE THE NECESSARY MULTILATERAL FRAMEWORK FOR ANOTHER YEAR, MR TSANG SAID.
IN 1992, HONG KONG CONCLUDED NEW BILATERAL TEXTILE AGREEMENTS OR EXTENDED THE CURRENT AGREEMENTS WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, NORWAY AND AUSTRIA.
ISSUES,
INTELLECTUAL
ON BILATERAL TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES, A SERIES OF INCLUDING SPECIAL SECTION 301 TALKS ABOUT CHINA'S PROPERTY PROTECTION RULES, SECTION 301 TALKS ABOUT CHINA'S MARKET ACCESS AND RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MOST FAVOURED NATION (MFN) STATUS, WERE RESOLVED LAST YEAR, THOUGH THE ISSUES WILL REMAIN POINTS OF DISCUSSION THIS YEAR.
"RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MFN STATUS IS THE KEY ISSUE. THE CHALLENGE BEFORE US IS TO MAKE SURE OUR MESSAGE GETS ACROSS CLEARLY AND CONVINCINGLY TO MEMBERS OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ADMINISTRATION WHICH ASSUMES OFFICE TODAY, AND TO THE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN THE U.S. CONGRESS.
WE
MUST
"WE HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR LOBBYING TEAM.
NOW COMMUNICATE OUR CONCERNS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ARGUE FORCEFULLY THAT IT WOULD NOT BE IN THE INTEREST OF THE
U.S. AND HONG KONG IF THE RENEWAL OF CHINA'S MFN STATUS WERE TO BE MADE CONDITIONAL.
"WE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR ON THIS, AND GOVERNOR HAS TAKEN A CLOSE PERSONAL INTEREST IN THIS MATTER, TSANG SAID.
"
THE MR
CONCLUDING THE MEDIA SESSION, MR TSANG SAID HE WAS VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE TRADE DEPARTMENT WAS THE FIRST GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT TO ADOPT A PERFORMANCE PLEDGE, MAKING A FIRM COMMITMENT ENHANCING THE CULTURE OF SERVICE.
"IT HAS LED ΤΟ A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW PROCEDURES AND PLANS ARE IN AN ADVANCED STAGE TO LICENSING PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN TEXTILE PRODUCTS,
"
ΤΟ
OF DEPARTMENTAL SIMPLIFY EXISTING HE SAID.
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