XN000022-1996-06-18 — Page 5

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HK to hold bilateral consultations with US

Hong Kong would hold bilateral consultations with the United States tomorTOW (Wednesday) in Hong Kong over US' unilateral decision to impose additional import document requirements on a number of textiles and clothing products from the territory, it was announced today (Tuesday).

"During the consultations, we will reiterate Hong Kong's position which the Secretary for Trade and Industry has put to the US government in her letter of June 14," a government spokesman said.

In her letter, the Secretary for Trade and Industry, Miss Denise Yue, raised fundamental objections to US' unilateral decision. She also requested the US to defer the implementation of the measures to enable Hong Kong and the US to discuss the matter with a view to finding a mutually satisfactory solution.

"We are grateful to the US government for their prompt response to our request for consultations," the spokesman said.

The US delegation will be led by the Deputy Commissioner for US Customs, Mr Michael Lane, while the Hong Kong delegation, comprises the Deputy Director- General of Trade, Mrs Rebecca Lai, and other officials from the Customs and Excise and Trade departments, will be led by the Commissioner for Customs and Excise (designate), Mr Lawrence Li.

On June 13 (US time), US Customs announced its decision to impose such import measures with effect from June 17 (US time), on five types of products from Hong Kong. These are skirts (Cat 342/442/642), suits (Cat 443/643), nightwear (Cat 351), underwear (Cat 352/652), and dresses (Cat 336/636).

Under the new US requirements, importers of these products from Hong Kong are required to submit, for each consignment, declarations completed and signed by all manufacturers and subcontractors involved in the production of the consignment.

They need also to certify that the declarations are accurate, and to pay higher entry bonds.

The consignment will then be conditionally released for entry into US, but is subject to recall by the US Customs within 210 days, if Customs determines that the country of origin of the goods in question has not been accurately represented to it.