97499 St.S.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
HWB 6/20
DRAFT
To:-
L. Davies Esq воч
Type 1 +
From
Rod, Kinsey BAG/
WS
салёг
Tro
5
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
General Dept.,
Board of Trade,
1, Victoria Street,
S.W.1.
There has been correspondence
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
We have corresponded in the past about
Hong Kong's request that their Export Credit Insurance
Corporation should be supplied with various papers which
Kinsey's
our posts abroad send you. Your last reference is your
letter GD 1043/1966 of 15 December, 1966. The Hong Kong
authorities have raised the question again at the same
time clarifying their wishes.
Hong Kong is asking for :-
(a) copies of the reports on import and export
control regulations which y understand are already sent to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in London as a matter of routine;
(b) copies of the periodical Economic Reports
which overseas posts prepare and send to departments in London.
Objection has been raised in the past on the
grounds that other colonial and Commonwealth fountries
might seek similar assistance if it were accorded to
Hong Kong. Is this objection really valid now? There
are no colonies which could emulate Hong Kong, and it
could be pointed out to Commonwealth countries that
unlike themselves, Hong Kong do not have autonomy in
the conduct of their external trade relations nor do
they have overseas posts to collect information for
them.
We have a considerable responsibility towards
Hong Kong. Is there any reason why they cannot be
supplied with the material under (a) above, apart from
the fact that it means a very small amount of extra
work for posts abroad to despatch a copy to Hong Kong?
/As