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INDUSTRY AND TRADE

and keep in touch with the activities of the international organiza- tions.

They are also responsible for preparing for Hong Kong's trade negotiations with other Governments and for implementing the agreements reached, generally under the international Cotton Tex- tiles Arrangement. This involves calculation and allocation of quotas and the operation of the export control procedures.

The provision of secretariats for the Cotton Advisory Board and the Trade and Industry Advisory Board is also a Commercial Relations responsibility.

The department's four overseas offices in London, Washington, Brussels and Geneva-are almost entirely concerned with commercial relations work, the first two in the countries that are our biggest markets, the third in the EEC's headquarter city and the fourth with the United Kingdom Mission to the GATT and other interna- tional bodies in Geneva.

The Industry and Certification Division provides a liaison between industry and other government departments, answers industrial enquiries from overseas and deals with specific industrial problems. It also operates certificate of origin and Commonwealth preference procedures. An industry inspection service enforces these procedures through the regular inspection of factories and goods and the prosecution of those suspected of contravening the regulations.

The Dutiable Commodities and Licensing Division deals with trade licensing (other than for textiles), with dutiable commodities and with the control of certain reserved commodities, including rice. It administers the Preventive Service, a uniformed and disci- plined organization whose role in revenue protection and the control of narcotics traffic is described in Chapter 10. The Chief Preventive Officer commands the service which has an establishment of 11 gazetted officers, 315 inspectors and 569 rank and file.

TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS

The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is the oldest trade association in the Colony. Founded in 1861, it now has a membership of over 1,400 representing all branches of commerce and industry. Membership is open to firms and people of all races