Ed (5084)
تم //
S.C.M. POST, MONDAY, APRIL 7, 1969
South China Morning Post-
1-3 Wyndham Street
Hongkong
Tel: 221011 (10 lines)
Kowloon Office
Salisbury Road
Tel: 664145
A TARIFF ON TEXTILES?
RECENT article in that its persistent refusal
A the London Financial to tamper with trade will
Times anticipating the pay dividends sometime, British Textile Council's somehow. Nor, must we recommendation of a tariff expect any indulgence be- against Commonwealth cause of our colonial status cotton textile imports had not at least with the this to say:
"These coun- thriving economy we have tries are unlikely to be built up and the seemingly enchanted with a proposal infallible resilience we which will involve the have demonstrated in over- most fundamental change coming past crises. in Commonwealth trade Commonwealth ties count preferences since Ottawa for little these days and if and which could subject Malaysian defence can be their textile industries to subordinated to Britain's greater competitive pres- balance of payments prob- sures in due course." That lems, Lancashire's unre- we are not "enchanted" lenting pressure against goes without saying. The "cheap imports" may carry general air of dismay that the day with Mr Wilson's the British recommenda- Government particularly tion has produced is based if domestic political pres- on the realisation that sures continue to mount. not only will a tariff make Our market in Britain is our exports dearer but it too big for us not to be con- could also put them at a cerned and the repercus- disadvantage to cheap tex- sions upon the local in- tiles from non-Common- dustry should not be wealth countries Por- minimised. Next year the tugal is one
which GATT Long Term agree- seem certain to fill up ments come up for con- any gaps thus created. It is sideration and Hongkong hard to see, moreover, how will be anxious to ensure a redistribution of imports that there is
is continued without a reduction will "orderly expansion" achieve any useful result. arbitrary contraction of It would also be interesting low-cost textile exports. to hear what "anti-dumping Hongkong's sympathy for measures" Britain proposes British problems should in against Portugal, a fellow fairness be matched by EFTA member. It is dis- clear evidence of British heartening that after years concern for the problems of reorganisation of the of developing countries British industry and quota which lack the resources restrictions, Lancashire is and know-how to diversify still harking back to the into the more sophisticated cheap labour bogey and industries that have grown looking to tariffs as a solu- up in the West. Hongkong tion--and not overall tariffs would do well to make its but selective barriers own case known so that its against territories, which interests are not ignored are themselves big cus- when the Textile Council's tomers of British goods. recommendation is con- Hongkong can only hope sidered.
not
PA Mur
12.
1275
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.51
112 MAY 1969
MLILO
10/5208/8
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