TNAG-1361-FCO40-1807-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 105

Supplementary to LegCo Question No. 1

in Legislative Council on 13th March 1985

1KM 01119

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 1 MAR 1985

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

Miss Dunn:- Sir, wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that the

average factory owner doesn't distinguish between one official

from the next, that they allow access to confidential documents

by American officials in these cases in the belief that these

inspections are lawful, and that refusal may lead to their

consignments not being allowed to enter the United States?

Secretary for Trade and Industry:- It is possible, Sir, that

factory owners may indeed believe that there is an element of

legality in the approaches by any visitor but the fact remains

that the U.S. officials in Hong Kong have no such rights under

our law.

Miss Dunn:- Do the American authorities claim any right to

refuse shipments to enter the United States as a result of these

inspections and has the Government any knowledge whether any

consignment has been detained?

Secretary for Trade and Industry:- Sir, I am not aware of any

consignments having been detained arising from enquiries made

as a result of these inspections but it is a fact that certain

knitwear shipments from Hong Kong were detained by US customs

pursuant to their adoption of their new rules and the subject of

which was the basis of our complaint to the textile surveillance

body in Geneva leading to a recommendations in our favour by the

body.

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