ENG-1974 — Page 51

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INDUSTRY AND TRADE

As a member of the APO, Hong Kong was represented at the 14th workshop meeting of national productivity centres of the APO in Manila in January 1974 and at the 16th governing body meeting in Singapore in April.

In September 1972 the centre was admitted as a full member of the International Federation of Documentation (FID) and is represented in FID's Information for Industry Committee and Education and Training Committee. The centre is also a participating organisation of the Asian Network for Industrial Technology Informa- tion and Extension (Technonet: Asia), established under the auspices of the Inter- national Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC).

Other Trade and Industrial Organisations

Founded in 1861, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is the earliest established trade association in Hong Kong. Its membership stood at more than 1,800 at the end of 1974. It is an association representing all branches of commerce and industry, and is represented on a number of government boards and committees. It is also a member of the International Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Commonwealth Chambers of Commerce.

The Federation of Hong Kong Industries, established by statute in 1960, devotes much of its efforts helping to create an infrastructure to assist Hong Kong industry in its growth. Its membership represents all industries, many nationalities and all sizes of enterprise. Among the services which it offers are its Standards Centre and its testing laboratories for chemical, electrical, electronic and textile products, footwear, toys, watches, foodstuffs and packaging materials. To encourage the development of better industrial design in Hong Kong, the Industrial Design Council of the federa- tion has instituted two awards for Hong Kong designed products-the Governor's Award for Hong Kong Design and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries Award for Good Design. Competitions are held annually. The federation has also set up a Packaging Council and Packaging Centre to promote creativity and innovation in the fields of product design and packaging. These efforts have been recognised at the inter- national level by the decision of the World Packaging Organisation to transfer its secretariat from London to Hong Kong for three years from 1973 to 1975.

Established in 1934, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong has a membership of more than 2,000, representing factories of all sizes and industries. The association, a member of the International Chamber of Commerce, has played an important role in the industrial development of Hong Kong. It has been active in recent years promoting an expanded technical training programme and providing funds for the construction of a prevocational training school. It has held an annual Hong Kong New Products Competition since 1970 to promote the quality of Hong Kong products.

Trade Marks and Patents

Trade marks are registered under the Trade Marks Ordinance, which is based on the Trade Marks Act 1938 of the United Kingdom. The procedure is laid down in the Trade Marks Rules, and the prescribed forms may be obtained, free of charge, from