ENG-1976 — Page 38

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

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The finishing sector provides sophisticated supporting facilities to the spinning, weaving and knitting sectors. It handles a large amount of textile fabrics for bleaching, dyeing, printing and finishing. This includes yarn texturising, multi-colour roller and screen printing, pre-shrinking, permanent pressing and polymerising.

The manufacture of clothing is the largest sector of the textiles industry, employ- ing some 252,774 workers or about 33 per cent of the total industrial workforce. During the year the clothing sector continued to keep up with the latest trends in fashion and there was a significant increase in production. Hong Kong's domestic exports of clothing in 1976 were valued at $14,288 million-40 per cent more than in 1975.

Other Light Industries

The electronics industry maintained its position as the second largest export earner among Hong Kong's manufacturing industries. It made a strong recovery after being adversely affected in 1975 by the world economic recession. Domestic exports of electronic products in 1976 were valued at $3,971 million compared with $2,724 million in the previous year. There were 672 factories employing 70,998 workers and the wide range of items produced included transistor radios, computer momory systems, electronic calculators, transistors, integrated circuits, semi-conductors, pre- packaged electronic modules and television sets.

There was also a considerable improvement in business in the plastics industry. This industry has 3,844 factories employing 76,994 workers and the most important items produced are toys and a wide variety of household articles. In 1976 domestic exports of plastic products were valued at $2,531 million-47 per cent more than in the previous year.

The watches, clocks and accessories industry has expanded rapidly during the past 10 years to become one of Hong Kong's most important manufacturing indus- tries. It produces watches, clocks, watch cases, dials, metal watch bands, assembled watch movements, and watch straps of various materials. An increasing number of factories are manufacturing electronic digital watches. Domestic exports of all these goods in 1976 were valued at $1,393 million, compared with $797 million in 1975.

Other important light industries produce travel goods, handbags and similar articles; metal products; jewellery; domestic electrical equipment; and electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances.

Heavy and Service Industries

Hong Kong's shipyards provide a competitive repair service and many of the smaller shipyards also build a variety of small vessels, particularly pleasure craft and yachts. The Kwai Chung container terminal and its complementary repair and manu- factory facilities enhance Hong Kong's position as one of the leading shipping centres in Asia.

The aircraft engineering industry has a high international reputation and provides maintenance, overhaul and repair facilities for most of the airlines operating in Asia.