XN000022-1994-04-19 — Page 2

TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1994

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LAND COMMISSION TO MEET ON THURSDAY

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AGREED

THE TWO SIDES OF THE SINO-BRITISH LAND COMMISSION. HAVE THAT THE COMMISSION'S 28TH MEETING WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 21. 1994. THE MEETING WILL DISCUSS THE 1994/95 LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME.

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HK TO ATTEND OECD TRADE COMMITTEE MEETING

THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) COUNCIL HAS APPROVED HONG KONG'S APPLICATION FOR OBSERVER STATUS ON OECD'S TRADE COMMITTEE AND ITS WORKING PARTY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY).

HONG KONG WILL NOW BE INVITED TO ATTEND THE OECD TRADE COMMITTEE MEETING TOWARDS THE END OF THIS MONTH.

OFFICIALS FROM THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE IN GENEVA WILL REPRESENT HONG KONG AT THE MEETING.

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HK BECOMES WORLD'S 8TH LARGEST EXPORTER

THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR TONY MILLER, TODAY (TUESDAY) WELCOMED THE NEWS THAT HONG KONG HAD MOVED FROM 10TH PLACE AMONG TRADING ECONOMIES ON THE BASIS OF TRADE VALUE IN 1992, TO THE EIGHTH PLACE AMONG EXPORTERS AND SEVENTH AMONG IMPORTERS ON THE BASIS OF 1993 TRADE FIGURES.

THE FIGURES WERE REVEALED IN AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT) SECRETARIAT ISSUED ON APRIL 6 AND ENTITLED "OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN 1993 AND OUTLOOK FOR 1994".

THE REPORT ALSO SHOWED THAT THE GROWTH IN WORLD TRADE HAD SLOWED LAST YEAR TO 2.5 PER CENT FROM THE 4.5 PER CENT RECORDED IN

1992, BUT IT PREDICTED AN IMPROVEMENT IN 1994.

"THIS 18 A FURTHER TELLING DEMONSTRATION OF the HONG KONG'S STRICT ADHERENCE TO FREE TRADE PRINCIPLES.

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"IT IS ALSO AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOW DEPENDENT HONG KONG THE FREE FLOW OF TRADE, HE SAID.

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'THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF URUGUAY ROUND WILL PROVIDE FURTHER BOOST TO WORLD TRADE. HONG KONG LOOKS FORWARD TO PLAYING ACTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN THE NEW WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION,' ADDED.

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