Hong Kong's government has been making an all-out effort in lobbying the United States for an unconditional 12-month renewal of China's Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading privileges, a senior official said on Monday.
"The Hong Kong government stressed (to U.S. officials) the importance of not undermining confidence in Hong Kong at this critical stage of its development," Tam Wing-pong, acting secretary for trade and industry, told reporters.Hong Kong's government has said a withdrawal of China's MFN status would cut Hong Kong's gross domestic product growth by between two and 2.8 percentage points and lead to a loss of 61,000 to 86,000 jobs.
A withdrawal could also undermine confidence in Hong Kong as Britain prepares to hand back the territory to China on July 1 after more than 150 years of colonial rule.
Honk Kong Governor Chris Patten has written to President Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and 29 congressional leaders, including House Speaker Newt Gingrich and the chairmen of key committees in the Senate and House of Representatives, Tam said.
Hong Kong Chief Secretary Anson Chan, Financial Secretary Donald Tsang and Secretary for Trade and Industry Denise Yue have written to other U.S. officials who deal with the MFN issue and their contacts in Congress, Tam said.
Yue called on important people in the debate during meetings of Hong Kong-U.S. economic cooperation committees held in Washington between May 5 and 7 to "drive home the Hong Kong message."
Clinton has until June to decide on MFN for China. Congress must then ratify his decision.
On Sunday, Gingrich said in Washington he had urged Clinton to reconsider a Republican suggestion that the vote be delayed or the trade privileges renewed for less than a full year to see how Beijing treats Hong Kong after it reverts to Chinese rule.