The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government will collect public opinions in the drafting of articles concerning logistics trade for the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between Macao and the Mainland by the end of July.
Sources with Macao's General Secretariat for Economy and Finance said Sunday that six influential industrial and commercial associations including the Macao Chamber of Commerce, the Macao Exporters and Importers' Association and the Macao Manufacturers' Association have been consulted for their opinions on the specific items concerning the trade deal.
The associations proposed some 800 items of products for the SAR government to consider to be included in the Mainland/Macao CEPA pact for the preference of zero tariffs, once the CEPA deal goes into effect by, Macao hopes, Jan. 1, 2004.
Less than half of the items are expected to be passed. However, tariffs on these products will be gradually exempted through 2006.
The Macao SAR government has promised to do its utmost to extensively hear business people's opinions on CEPA. The deal is expected to bring similar benefits to Macao as that to Hong Kong, whose CEPA deal with the Mainland was signed on June 29. The benefits include zero tariffs on hundreds of items of Macao-made products to go into the Mainland and a green light of Macao's private investment in some of the Mainland's service sectors.
(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2003)
