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Page No. 5 of 11 pages
Guangzhou Trade Fair
16.
According to a communist press report, there are to be major
changes in future Guangzhou Trade Fairs, which will reduce their importance
as a major contact point for foreign business. Transactions in some 44
commodities including food stuffs, textiles, etc. will no longer be handled
at the Fair and business which can be carried out by correspondence, trade
group visits or smaller specialised trade fairs will also be excluded. The
Fair would continue to be held twice a year but it was not made clear which
commodities it would display. There would also be a permanent display of
Chinese exports at the Guangzhou Foreign Trade Centre. These changes
probably reflect the now outdated character of the previous arrangements,
which were causing increasing problems in recent years. Business between
Chinese organisations and foreign firms can now be carried out by more direct
and orthodox channels.
Communications and Transport
17.
A twice-monthly container service between Shanghai and the west coast
of North America via Hong Kong began operating in March. The cargoes will be
carried to Hong Kong by the China Merchants Steam Navigation Co. and there
transhipped on to Sealand container ships sailing to Long Beach and Seattle.
This is similar to the arrangement made last year for the container
transhipment in Hong Kong of cargoes from Huangpu (Whampoa). (Para 2, June
1979 report).
18.
The local communist press is carrying advertisements by five companies
for transport services to, and within, China. The Man Kwok Shipping Co. offers
the container service to Shanghai and Huangpu (and also to Qingdao) while
four others advertise road services for goods and passengers into China from
Shenzhen.
Propaganda
19.
The communist film industry, fraught with financial and staff
problems, completed only 5 of the 12 films planned for 1979. The 1980 target
has beet set at 10 but shooting of the first is scheduled to start only in
May.
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