ENG-1963 — Page 117

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

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(except dress shirts) to Norway in accordance with the terms of the five-year agreement entered into between Hong Kong and Norway in 1962. The Director of Commerce and Industry, on behalf of the Hong Kong Government, signed the Memorandum of Agreement which set out the details of the five year restraints in Oslo on 28th March 1963.

ADMINISTRATION

Trade Promotion. On the advice of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board, the members of which are representative of the Colony's various industrial and commercial interests, under the chairmanship of the Director of Commerce and Industry, trade promotion during the year was concentrated on securing a larger market in Western Europe for the increasing range of Hong Kong products. To this end Government embarked on an extensive pro- gramme of activities including the despatch of a trade mission to the countries forming the European Economic Community and participation in trade fairs in Germany and Britain. Trade promo- tion activities elsewhere in the world comprised participation in a trade fair in Australia and the despatch of a trade mission to the Middle East.

Following the suspension of negotiations between Britain and the countries of the European Economic Community concerning the admission of the former to membership of the Community, the Trade and Industry Advisory Board advised that active promo- tion of the Colony's products in Europe should be renewed and that, in addition, every effort should be made to explain Hong Kong's economic position and industrial development. With this in mind, the board suggested that an official mission be despatched to the six member countries of the Community and, following the preparatory visit of an officer of the Commerce and Industry Department in May, an itinerary was drawn up comprising visits to Paris, Luxembourg, Brussels, Antwerp, the Hague, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Bonn, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Milan and Rome. The mission, which was led by Dr the Honourable Sir Sik-nin Chau, CBE, comprised five businessmen and a senior official as members together with a secretariat of three. The Financial Secretary accom- panied the mission on its visits to Paris and Brussels. The mission assembled in London on 4th October and left for Paris and