ENG-1994 — Page 143

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

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not injured by the subject imports. Since the imposition of the anti-dumping duties in 1990, the Trade Department has held three rounds of bilateral consultations with the United States administration in 1991, 1992 and 1994. This was also a vindication of the patience and determination of the Hong Kong textiles industry in defending the case through the appropriate legal avenue since the launching of their appeal in 1990.

During the first half of the year, the Hong Kong Government and the private sector continued to emphasise to the United States administration and members of Congress the adverse effects on Hong Kong's economy if the United States were to withdraw China's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, or to impose conditions on the renewal of the status. On May 26, President Bill Clinton announced his decision to renew China's MFN trading status for another year, at the same time de-linking future MFN renewal decisions from human rights issues. The decision removed a significant area of uncertainty in the relations between China and the United States, and was generally believed to be conducive to better relations between the two countries. As China and the United States are Hong Kong's two largest trading partners, good relations between them are of vital importance to the territory.

Trade Department

The Trade Department is responsible for Hong Kong's commercial relations with foreign governments. It implements trade policy and agreements, and conducts import and export licensing and origin certification.

The department consists of five divisions, three of which deal with bilateral commercial relations with Hong Kong's trading partners in different geographical areas. Their work includes the conduct of trade negotiations and the implementation of textiles agreements, as well as the collection and dissemination of information on developments which may affect Hong Kong's external trade, especially those relating to trade policies and measures adopted in its major markets. One of these divisions has, in addition, responsibility for regional economic co-operation and the introduction of the electronic data interchange. The fourth division deals with the multilateral aspects of Hong Kong's external commercial relations, such as its participation in the GATT and the MFA. The fifth division is responsible for the textiles export control system, common services, origin certification, the computerisation of the department's licensing systems, the import and export licensing of commodities other than textiles, and the rice control scheme.

The department is assisted by eight overseas Hong Kong Government offices, administered by the Trade and Industry Branch, in its work on commercial relations.

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices

These offices seek to promote Hong Kong's economic and trade interests by enhancing understanding of the territory among opinion-formers; closely monitoring developments that might affect the territory's economic and trading interests, such as proposed legislation; and liaising closely with the business and commercial sectors, politicians and the media. They also have a role in promoting Hong Kong's image overseas.

The Geneva Office represents Hong Kong as a contracting party to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which will be replaced by the World Trade Organisation