of commercial relations over which Hong Kong has for some time
exercised independent judgment is the cotton trade where her
participation in the LTA entitles the Colony to deal independently.
But it should be noted that even in this area the constitutional
position is clear and Hong Kong has relied on practical convenience
only to make good her claim.
Competence
It is significant that Hadden-Cave stated that the degree of
independence allowed Hong Kong had grown out of the size, pattern
and growing complexity of Hong Kong's trade.
It might, on the face
that the more complex
of it, have led to the opposite conclusion
the issues the greater the need for HMG to intervene because Hong
Kong cannot have the same extensive knowledge of international
affairs as is available in the Board of Trade and this office and
because the more complex the issues the more likely there are to be
the "wider international considerations" which Hadden-Cave admitted
could overrule the Hong Kong view. The present issue with America
is very much a case in point and it is arguable that since 1968
every non-cotton issue has been to a greater or lesser degree a
case of the same sort.
But what Hong Kong mean and the Governor will probably argue
is that the larger and more complex Hong Kong's own trade becomes
the less capable Whitehall staff become of understanding it and
being able to take competent decisions where intimate local know-
ledge in the Colony can. The Governor may well use this argument
incidentally in favour of certain points he wishes to make on the
staffing of the merged office.
It is certainly true that Hong Kong's trade is complex and that
/ FCO
Page 105Page 106