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and this comes on top of devaluation losses at an earlier period running into tens of millions of pounds. We are also facing problems and disagreements over other subjects, including air traffic rights.
Aid,
as a gesture of goodwill, could help to see us through these difficult times.
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(c) There is also a strong commercial case for aid. Our share. of the large market has dropped to 8%. Λ number of large Government contracts are in the offing; the most important is the proposed mass transit scheme. This scheme will be worth some £500 million. It will not be handled by the normal process of tender, but will probably be decided by negotiation, with the approval of Executive Council. It is very important that British manufacturers should get this contract. We are doing all we can to assist them, but the Japanese are certain to put in a very competitive bid. When it comon to a decision between the proposals, the climate of feeling .towards Britain could be a significant factor in tipping
the balance. For such reasons the Senior Trade Commissioner has said that he very much hopes that the present proposals for capital aid to Hong Kong will be accepted. I am sure they would also be supported by the DTI. |
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(d) A good case can also be made out on developmental grounds. Technical education is seen to be an important key to Hong Kong's future development. We have already
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gone some way towards meeting it by our agreement to provide funds for the proposed, technical institutes. help the Polytechnic, which is our main proposal at present, is the logical next step.
4.
During the Secretary of State's last visit to Hong Kong it was agreed that the Governor would let us know informally what projects we might most profitably consider. Once we were reasonably sure of the ground, formal requests could then be stimulated. exploratory process in Hong Kong took some time, but we recently
franys, Ay Ku wang 1997
"dt-Bendte la
The
sive propouts relating to a libery for the Polybasterds, d
ancoived proposals rolating to a library for no Polytechnic, and to the supply of an air traffic radar simulator. Whilst not wishing to disregard the simulator proposal, I should prefer to concentrate.
/for the
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