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INDUSTRY AND TRADE

July to 10th August. The Colony's stand of 1,320 square feet featured a range of goods carefully selected for the Australian market and proved popular with the Australian public. Stand officials recorded a total of 264 inquiries covering a wide variety of Hong Kong products.

Trade promotion at home was continued in the form of the Display Centre of Hong Kong products which was opened in late 1962 and is situated on the second floor of the high block of the City Hall. Facilities are available for a display of some 2,500 items of local manufacture. It is in effect a 'shop window' designed to stimulate the interest of business and tourist visitors in the growing variety of Hong Kong merchandise. By changing part of the display monthly it is possible to afford all sections of industry the chance to show their products.

The Commerce and Industry Department is not only responsible for organizing the Colony's official trade promotion activities, but also for answering trade inquiries, mediating in commercial com- plaints and arranging for the reception of overseas trade missions and business visitors. During the year, Government-sponsored trade missions from Tasmania and the United States visited the Colony, in addition to several unofficial missions and a large number of individual businessmen and foreign government officials.

The department also publishes and distributes the annual Com- merce, Industry and Finance Directory, and the monthly Trade Bulletin. The Directory is a comprehensive guide to Hong Kong business in its economic and administrative setting. The Trade Bulletin is a general guide to Hong Kong's products in magazine form and each month features different aspects of the commercial and industrial scene. Both these publications are illustrated in colour and are distributed free to overseas business interests.

One aspect of trade promotion which received much attention during the year was the creation of a favourable climate of opinion towards Hong Kong industry and its products through publicity media and personal contact. This subject has for some time been one in which the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries have taken an active in- terest. In September 1962, Government recognized this interest by the provision of funds, on an experimental basis for a period of two years, for the joint use of the two associations for activities

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