Type 1+.
From
Telephone No. & Ext.
.Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
..In Confidence
HONG KONG REPRESENTATION OVERSEAS
}
Department
In addition to the Hong Kong Government Office
in London Hong Kong has representatives in our
embassies in Washington and Brussels, and in the
Mission at Geneva. In Washington and Geneva the
officers concerned are members of the Diplomatic
Service on secondment. It is possible that members
of UMELCO may ask whether similar representation
could be arranged at other posts, as they did when
Mr Rippon had lunch with them. If so, the Secretary
of State may like to make a non-committal reply.
A number of our embassies already do a good deal' of
work for Hong Kong (a good example is Tokyo, where
the Commercial Department actively look after Hong
Kong's interests). Whether there would be a full-
time job in any other post for a Hong Kong
representative is open to question, although
specific proposals could doubtless be looked at.
There is also the problem of finding suitable
officers.
In addition the Secretary of State should know
that the Hong Kong Trade Development Council maintains
15 offices overseas. The Trade Development Council
is a statutory body established under Ordinance and
(885363) Dd. 896639 1,000м 8/71 SLS.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
/is