ENG-1965 — Page 65

40

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

with these circumstances-all of them outside Hong Kong's control, some of them fortuitous-must also be considered the political stability of the territory and its official policy of encouraging enter- prise. There has been a steadfast policy in Hong Kong of refusing to surrender to occasional protectionist pressure, or to demands for subsidies to industry, or to demands for retaliation against other countries' restrictive actions. Widespread skill in merchandising techniques inherited from the entrepôt era, plus highly developed banking, insurance and shipping systems have made this policy practicable and successful. For Hong Kong the only industries worth having are those whose products can be sold in the domestic market without protection, or which can be exported without subsidy. Hong Kong has therefore remained true to the traditions established when it was an entrepôt, with no tariffs and few restric- tions on the entry of goods from any quarter of the globe. -

In matters affecting internal and external trade, the Director of Commerce and Industry is assisted by advice from the Trade and Industry Advisory Board. This is a body of unofficial senior repre- sentatives of commerce, industry, banking, etc nominated by the Governor, of which the director is chairman. It meets regularly once a month and on occasions more frequently. A more specialized board, the Cotton Advisory Board, first appointed in 1961, is consulted on matters affecting the cotton textile industry-

INDUSTRY

The general facility with which industry may be established and conducted in Hong Kong has attracted investors. Most industrialists are Hong Kong residents of Chinese race, and the greater part of their capital resources are self-generated. In recent years, however, overseas interests-in particular American, Australian, British and Japanese have to an increasing extent entered into licensing arran- gements with Hong Kong firms and into other forms of industrial co-operation. The variety of goods produced in Hong Kong is now considerable. In general, while heavy industry such as shipbuilding and shipbreaking continues to be important, Hong Kong has become best known for the competitive price and range of its light industrial products and their rapidly improving quality.