XN000022-1993-03-08 — Page 7

MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1993

"EACH SIDE HAS CAPITALISED ON ITS ADVANTAGES, WITH LABOUR- INTENSIVE PROCESSING TAKING PLACE IN CHINA AND SOURCING, MARKETING, PACKAGING AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT BEING BASED IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

MR CHAU NOTED THAT COMPANIES FOLLOWING THIS ROUTE HAD BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY STANDARDS AND FAST RESPONSE TIMES THEIR OVERSEAS BUYERS DEMANDED WHILE PUSHING DOWN THEIR PRODUCTION COSTS.

HE SAID MANY OVERSEAS COMPANIES INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH CHINA HAD, FOR THE ABOVE REASON, CHOSEN TO DO SO THROUGH HONG KONG.

"AS ONE OF THE MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITIES IN ASIA, AND SITUATED RIGHT ON CHINA'S DOORSTEP, HONG KONG IS AN IDEAL PLACE FOR COMPANIES TO SITE THEIR REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, MR CHAU SAID.

་་

COMPLAINT OVER IMPORTS OF IN-LINE ROLLER SKATES

*

AN U.S. FIRM FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE U.S. INTERNATIONAL

TRADE COMMISSION (ITC) ALLEGING THAT IMPORTS OF CERTAIN IN-LINE ROLLER SKATES HAD INFRINGED ITS PATENTS, ACCORDING ΤΟ

COMMERCIAL INFORMATION CIRCULAR PUBLISHED BY THE TRADE DEPARTMENT TODAY (MONDAY).

THE FIRM SOUGHT A GENERAL EXCLUSION ORDER PROHIBITING THE IMPORT OF THE INFRINGING PRODUCTS INTO THE STATES.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT ADVISED HONG KONG COMPANIES, WHICH HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL INTEREST IN CONTINUING ΤΟ SELL THE SUBJECT PRODUCTS TO THE U.S. AND ARE CONVINCED THAT THEY ARE NOT INFRINGING THE PATENT IN QUESTION, TO CONSIDER INTERVENING.

THE PATENTS INVOLVED REFER TO CLAIMS 1-8 OF U.S. LETTERS PATENT NUMBER 5,171,033 AND CLATM 5 OF U.S. LETTERS PATENT NUMBER 5,048,848.

A FULL COPY OF THE COMPLAINT IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REFERENCE IN THE TRADE DEPARTMENT.

THE

NAMED

UNDER THE U.S. PROCEDURES A PARTY OTHER THAN RESPONDENTS MAY MAKE A MOTION TO INTERVENE IN THE ITC PROCEEDINGS AFTER AN INVESTIGATION IS INITIATED.

BUT

THERE IS NO FORMAL TIME LIMIT FOR FILING SUCH INTERVENTION, UNDUE DELAY THAT IS PREJUDICIAL TO THE PROCEEDINGS MAY RESULT IN DENIAL OF A MOTION TO INTERVENE.

THE TRADE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE LOCAL COMPANY THAT IS NAMED IN THE COMPLAINT AND WILL PROVIDE IT WITH INFORMATION IN PROCEDURAL ASPECTS.

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