CONFIDENTIAL
Higher Education
4.
It was agreed exceptionally in 1968 that the institutions of higher education in Hong Kong should be allowed to draw certain Colonial Development and Welfare grants promised to them previously. These amounted to £400,000 split between the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic. Of this sum £88,000 for the University of Hong Kong remains to be disbursed in 1972/73.
5.
For the information of the Secretary of State only it has also beeen agreed within the last year that up to a further £400,000 should be provided for four proposed new Technical Colleges in Hong Kong. This offer has been made known to the Governor but not to the UK Parliament or the public in Hong Kong and it would be premature to disclose it at this stage since an idea is now under consideration for using some of this money for urgently required equipment for an existing Technical College.
6.
might helps
It has been suggested by the Hong Kong Association in London that ODA should be prepared to assist with the staffing of technical colleges in Hong Kong and this point may well be raised in Hong Kong. For the reasons given above we would not be prepared, except in most exceptional circumstances, to consider the provision of such staff under Technical Assistance arrangements; nor are there any supplementation schemes (eg Overseas Service Aid Scheme (OSAS) or British Expatriates Supplementation Scheme (BESS) in operation in Hong Kong. The only assistance that could be readily offered therefore, would be assistance in recruitment, which the ODA would be prepared to
undertake on behalf of Hong Kong.
Commonwealth Development Corporation
7 The Commonwealth Development Corporation, which otherwise has little investment in Hong Kong, is providing a total of £24 in loan and equity for a company called Modern Terminals Ltd which is constructing a container ship facility in Hong Kong. The
+
Government of Hong Kong do not consider this project to be "aid" to Hong Kong
mainly
because it will be of benefit to UK rather than Hong Kong shipping better for the Secretary of State not to comment publicly on this matter
and it would be
•
Middle East, Mediterranean & Pacific Dept FCO(ODA)
CONFIDENTIAL
25 January 1972