Cargo kudos: The US has praised Hong Kong's system of export controls.

The US Under-Secretary of Commerce for Industry & Security Kenneth Juster has praised Hong Kong's system of export controls.

Mr Juster said globalisation has resulted in an ever-increasing integration of the Hong Kong and American economic and security systems.

Speaking at the Centre for Strategic & International Studies conference, entitled Asian Security & Hong Kong's Role in the War on Global Terrorism, in Washington recently, Mr Juster stressed that security should be viewed as the foundation for economic activity.

He underlined Hong Kong's support for a number of trade-related security efforts, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum's Secure Trade in the APEC Region initiative, the Container Security Initiative, the transhipment country export control initiative, and Operation Greenquest.

Hong Kong's continued co-operation in these US efforts is essential, as Mr Juster put it: "Because many other major global trading centres look to Hong Kong as a model of balancing effective trade controls with the successful expansion of economic activity."

In addition, Hong Kong has co-operated closely with the US in channelling both existing and new export control resources toward curtailing the illegal diversion of products.

Mr Juster noted that Hong Kong's export control system is often held up by the US as an example for other nations to follow.