US tour party returns to push case for MFN

AIDES to US congressmen and senators are to explain to US legislators the importance of an unconditional renewal of China's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) trading status.

The move comes after US aides spent eight days in the territory and the mainland on the first visit hosted this year by Hongkong's seven major business organisations as part of an attempt to lobby for the renewal of China's MFN status.

''They said they knew MFN was important to both China and Hongkong, and would convey this message to their bosses [US Congressmen and Senators],'' said Ms Alexandra Poon, spokeswoman for Federation of Hongkong Industries, one of the hosts.

''They said the common consensus at home was that conditions should be attached to China's MFN renewal. But after seeing the human factors in the factories they realised a conditional renewal would hit the industries there and many young workers would lose their jobs,'' Ms Poon said.

''But they also pointed out that their government had to address other issues such as human rights and trade deficits,'' she added.

The delegation visited five factories in Guangzhou, Dongguan and Shenzhen.

In Hongkong, they met local trade and industry officials and trade associations including the Trade Development Council.

They visited industrial estates, new towns and container terminals.

They arrived on Hongkong on April 5, went to China on April 8, returned to the territory on April 10 and left for the US on Monday.

They were escorted by representatives from the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hongkong and the Federation of Hongkong Industries.

Other hosting organisations were the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, the Hongkong Exporters' Association, the Hongkong Toys Council (under the Federation of Hongkong Industries), and the Indian Chamber of Commerce.