TNAG-0938-FCO40-1157-Visit-of-John-Nott--Secretary-of-State-for-Trade--to-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 181

But you are in that respect nearly alone in the developing

world. Most other developing countries, even those at an advanced stage of industrial development, maintain a great panoply of prohibitive tariffs and of quantitative restrictions so severe as to come close to import prohibition. That is not

sensible for the countries concerned. Once industrial

development has reached a take off point, massive protection is only harmful for further advance. And it is not acceptable

to us.

The total inequality of trading opportunities involved would not be equitable under any circumstances and becomes all the less acceptable with the lessening prosperity of the developing world. We can still accept in the 1980s an advantage for developing countries. What we cannot accept, especially for the more industrialised among them, is that we have to give. everything and they nothing. We are entitled to ask, and we do ask, these countries for increasing reciprocity, for a recog-

nition of their' responsibilities as well as rights. We have to ask the strong countries, particularly those which protect their own markets, to recognise that they do not need and cannot expect, an indefinite continuation of the preferential advantages in the EEC market which I hope we can continue to give to the less well off countries in the developing world.

18.

after

Finally let me say of my visit to Hong Kong that, although I have only been here a short time, I have been greatly encouraged as I have been on earlier visits at what I have seen. Hong Kong is now a major centre of industry, commerce, communic-

ations and finance. This is well known. What is often forgotten is that it has also become a major market in its own right; Japan much the largest market for United Kingdom exporters in

Asia. Moreover I am also aware of its close commercial links

with China, and of the role it can play as a base for trade and investment in that great country, and indeed with other countries

in East and South-East Asia. It has achieved this enviable

commercial situation by reason of its geographical position, but in particular through its own extraordinary endeavours.

19.

There are of course profound differences between the