TNAG-0462-FCO40-527-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-EEC-Generalised-Scheme-of-Prefer-1974 — Page 5

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PS/Lord Gorowy-Roberts

1.

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REC

REGIOIA

17 MAY 1974

HKK 6/598/1

Mi

1 Cropuson

Mr. Shaght. An

.7/s

I told Lord Goronwy-Roberts on 9 May that I thought that

Hong Kong's clothing exports had dropped somewhat from their previous

40%.

This is correct though the fall has not been quite as much as

I thought. In 1973 the figure was 38%. But these figures are in

fact misleading. On top of the clothing export figures there is a

varying

The

percentage figure Folii from 10-12% for textile fabrics.

exact figures are set out below. The implication is that over the

last three years clothing and textile fabrics have kept up a steady

average of around 50%, by value, of Hong Kong's exports in an

expanding total. This underlines the continuing importance of

clothing and textile exports to Hong Kong's economy and of the

question of the exclusion of Hong Kong's textiles and footwear from

the European Community's GSP.

13 May 1974

сс

Mr Youde

RESTRICTED

Dest

A C Stuart

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.

Roberts