The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, said today he expected flour exports from the Mainland to Macao and Hong Kong would be exempted from the quotas announced last week by the Chinese authorities.

Speaking after a meeting with representatives of the Macao Chamber of Commerce and flour importers, Mr Tam said that after exchanges of communication with the Ministry of Commerce, the Macao Government expected the Mainland to resume flour exports to Macao soon.

Mr Tam said the initial response from the Ministry of Commerce was positive in that the actual circumstances of Macao and Hong Kong would be taken into account when the Mainland introduced measures on exports.

Therefore he was optimistic the imports would soon resume and that the Mainland's flour exports to Macao and Hong Kong would be exempted from new quotas announced last week by the Ministry of Commerce last week, he said.