Govt pledges N.Z. market for Asians

Press, 28 November 1977, Page 25

Govt pledges N.Z. market for Asians

PA Wellington. The Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Taiboys) pledged that the Government would take all reasonable steps to see that the five South-East Asian nations of the A.S.E.A.N. bloc would be given every opportunity to increase their exports to New Zealand.

Mr Taiboys, addressing an A.S.E.A.N. seminar, said that the Government was considering several detailed lists of requests made by A.S.E.A.N. for the lowering of Tariff and non-tariff barriers to allow easier access for their goods. “It has particularly in mind the possible modification of New Zealand's generalised system of preferences affecting certain products in which the A.S.E.A.N. countries have expressed interest,” he said. But Mr Taiboys said he thought that the effects of New Zealand’s import controls might be the subject of misunderstanding or exaggeration. Many products for which A.S.E.A.N. had requested the relaxation of the import licensing system were already free of licensing. Amongst these were tea and coffee, tropical hardwood timber and certain types of textiles, he said. Mr Taiboys believed there was scope for New Zealand to buy more from the A.S.E.A.N. countries. “Many importers con-

tinue to buy from longestablished suppliers.

Mr Taiboys said increased imports from the A.S.E.A.N. bloc would not only promote trade and economic development in the region but would enhance the efficiency of shipping services — a crucial factor of New Zealand’s exports were to be competitive. The Minister said New Zealand should also take account of the trend towards interdependence and the rational use of resources within A.S.E.A.N. He suggested that through investing or jointly establishing manufacturing or processing plants in A.S.E.A.N. countries, New Zealand could benefit by retaining an interest in activities which would otherwise be carried out by others. Mr Taiboys said closer

involvement with A.S.E.A.N. also offered New Zealand an opportunity to increase its exports to an area where there had been a rapid and sustained rise in living standards in recent years. There were obviously great possibilities in the increasingly affluent market provided by the bloc’s 230 M people in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore. Thailand and the Philippines.

“At a time when it is vitally important to us to increase the volume of our export.;. I need not stress how important it is that we should make very effort to further develop this market,” he said. Mr Taiboys said that to this end the A.S.E.A.N. countries had been designated as one of two priority market areas for promotional activity in the immediate future.