CONFIDENTIAL
Brief No. 7
VISIT OF SECRETARY OF STATE TO HONG KONG
APRIL 1970
i
BRITAIN: HONG KONG:
The EEC
SPEAKING NOTES
Hong Kong and the EEC
Our entry into the EEC would, in the long term, alter the
pattern of our trade. It would affect the system of Common-
wealth preferences that operates at present. And while you in
Hong Kong have done a good deal to diversify your trade and to
develop new markets since our original move to join the
European Communities there do remain problems. I can assure
you that we shall have the interests of Hong Kong in mind in
our approach to the Community.
Difficulty of forecasting developments
It is not possible at this stage to foretell in any detail
how the position of Hong Kong may be altered by our entry to
the ETC.
We ourselves have found, in the publication of our White
Paper on entry, the difficulties of quantifying certain aspects
of the economic effects of accession.
Hong Kong's position could be affected by many factors yet
to be decided, some not related to our application, e.g., by
progress towards' a global scheme of generalised preferences for
developing countries; and the progressive liberalisation of
CONFIDENTIAL
/world