TNAG-0240-FCO40-276-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalised-tariffs-preferences--1970 — Page 140

C. A 1 348 2700482

60x100-4/68–864300

To: Director of Commerce and Industry, Hong Kong.

From: Counsellor for Hong Kong Commercial Affairs, Geneva.

Memorandum No. 158

File No.

RAWA

329

Date 12 November, 1970.

Countrica

Australian Preferences for Develezing Countries

I enclose a myy of the latest Annual Report on this schone which has been submitted to the GATT by the Australian Government (1/3453).

2. The Report contains a lot of detailed figures but I would draw attention,

in particular, to the table of quota Allocations on page il and to the table of

actual imports from various beneficiary countries en page 22. The latter is probably a better indication of performance and it shows Hong Kong running third behind India and Spain in 1969/70 (with 12.9% of actual imports under preference), as compared with second place behind India in the two previous years. shows Taivan's share increasing rapidly from 1. in 1967/63 to 8.1% in 1968/69 and 10.2% in 1969/70 (compare Hong Kong's stondy percentage decline over the three years despite higher:sbasinte figures). At this rate Taiwan may well equal, or even exosed, Hong Kong's figure in 1970/71. Korea, on the other hand, seens

It also

to be performing very moderately, with only 0.6% of the total in 1969/70, which is below Singapore's figure of 1.4%.

thismall,

3. I do not say that we can necessarily extrapolate from this mall, selective

Australian scheme, with relatively tiny duty quotas, to the broader sazvass of

the GPS. But I think that it does give some indication that Taiwan is likely to

be the most dangerous competitor among Kong Kong's neighbours. The figures night

also be of sose use in demonstrating that Hong Kong is certainly not taking the

lion's share of the Australian scheme, although she is naturally among the leaders.

DCJC/ee

Distribution:

Director, Hong Kong (3 copies)

A.h., A.B., A.N.

Nr. 0.ä.Kemmin, (Department of Trade and Industry)

✓Mr. E.0.Laird, Hong Kong Department, F.C.0.

Kr. N.Perceval, Trade Policy Department, F.0.0.

REPERT CRED