8
HERE AGAIN ONE SHOULD NOT MAKE SUPERFICIAL ASSUMPTIONS
OR INDULGE IN GENERALISATION BUT LOOK AT THE FACTS. WHILE
IT IS TRUE THAT FOR VERY PRACTICAL REASONS THESE COUNTRIES
CANNOT OFFER DIPLOMATIC OR MILITARY PROTECTION ON THE SAME
SCALE AS BIGGER NATIONS, MANY OF THEM DO PARTICIPATE IN
INTERNATIONAL BODIES DELIBERATING ON NEW NORMS FOR STANDARDS
OF TRAINING, NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY, CONTROL OF POLLUTION
HAZARDS, AND SO FORTH, AND MAKE AN EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT
THEM.
BUT WHAT HAS ALL THIS TO DO WITH HONG KONG ? SIMPLY
THAT IT WOULD APPEAR TO MAKE A LOT OF SENSE FOR HONG KONG
TO DROP ITS PRESENT DEPENDENT STATE AND BECOME THE SECOND
BIGGEST FAR EASTERN SHIPPING CENTRE (AFTER JAPAN) BY TAKING
APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO ESTABLISH ITS OWN AUTONOMOUS
REGISTRY. I AM FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE
TO ACHIEVE, IF THE INTEREST TO DO SO IS PRESENT, EVEN THOUGH I
HAVE NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THE INHERENT DIFFICULTIES OF SOLVING
THE JURISDICTIONAL AND PRACTICAL PROBLEMS BEFORE THE PATH
IS CLEARED, XXX I UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH THE U. K. AND HONG
KONG GOVERNMENTS ARE NOW SERIOUSLY INTERESTED IN EXAMINING
THESE DIFFICULTIES, THE BENEFITS FOR HONG KONG OF BEING ABLE
TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF A SITUATION WHICH GEOGRAPHICAL
AND HISTORICAL FACTORS HAVE PRACTICALLY THRUST UPON IT WOULD
INDEED SEEM TO OUTWEIGH EASILY THE EXTRA EFFOETS INVOLVED
IN MAKING A "SHIPPING CENTRE" OUT OF IT. AFTER ALL, WITH A
POPULATION OF OVER 4 MILLION, HONG KONG IS BIGGER THAN, SAY,
NORWAY WHICH HAS NEVERTHELESS ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE PRO-
MINENCE IN THE SHIPPING WORLD.
{