TNAG-1482-FCO40-2036-Economic-and-commercial-value-of-Hong-Kong-to-the-UK-1986 — Page 29

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6.

A valid method of assessing the UK export performance

in Hong Kong is to compare it with that achieved by other main

industrial suppliers in relation to their average world performances.

This is shewn in Table 5 covering the seven countries that participate

at Economic Summit Meetings, UK, West Germany, France, Italy, USA,

Canada and Japan. It will be seen from column (d) in the table

that:

(a)

the UK performance is equal to its world average;

(b)

(c)

the USA performance is close to its world average,

reflecting perhaps lower than average performance

in the EEC and high manufacturing investment

in Hong Kong (nearly eight times greater than

the UK's);

Japan's performance is well above its world average,

but typical of its performance in the region;

(d)

West Germany, France and Italy all achieve only

about one third of their average world performance

in Hong Kong.

To compare the UK on this basis (relative Hong Kong/world performance)

with Japan and USA is not to compare like with like; to compare

her with other European countries is. On such a comparison, the

UK performance in Hong Kong is some three times better than her

like competitors.

August 1985

Hong Kong Government Office

London