CONFIDENTIAL
BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION IN HONG KONG 7th Floor, Shell House, Queen's Road, Central, HONG KONG Mail Address: P.O. Box No. 528, Hong Kong Cable Address: "Uktrade Hongkong"
Telephone- 230176
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Our reference: Your reference:
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January, 1969
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Dear Hills, he hullunghe by
Status of the British Trade Commission
Office in Hong Kong
M. Blob Farley
I am sorry Thank you for your letter of 12th December. not to have replied earlier, but my office is heavily engaged just now with the rather tiresome and intricate demands of a series of visiting Trade Missions.
2. I did not know definitely that the future of this office was under consideration, but I naturally hoped that it might be following the lengthy discussions I had with the Inspectors during their visit in May 1968. I presume that some of the memoranda I submitted to them on the subject must appear in the files in London.
3. I cannot quarrel with the overriding political view that the evolution of the Trade Commission must always be subordinate to the possible suspicions and susceptibilities of the Chinese authorities in Peking. At the same time I hope that the question of this office will be kept under review in the coming years. It is an unfortunate fact that Britain's stock is not high in Hong Kong. particularly true of the feelings in Hong Kong governmental expatriate circles, though I impute no disloyalty to them. But there is always a risk of misunderstanding or lack of appreciation of the other man's environment, when correspon- dence is carried on in these circumstances.
This is
4. Your idea of putting me under the Hong Kong Department is an admirable one, and of considerable benefit to me. There is bound to be a slight embarrassment for Bunny Carter, in receiving some of my frank comments on the Hong Kong scene, but he and I have spoken of this in the past and I hope that what news I send may be of help to him.
5.
I am copying this letter on a personal basis to Arthur Maddocks.
ever
F. Mills, Esq.,
Personnel Department,
Foreign and Commonwealth
office.
Great George Street, London, S.W.1.
(M.P.V. Hannam)
Principal Trade Commissioner
6
CONFIDENTIAL
Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omis- sions in that information and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms, companies, or individuals mentioned.
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