8
Britain's commercial pre-eminence was based on the enjoyment
of a privileged position a chasse gardée in a vast
-
colonial Empire. There could be no better example than
Hong Kong of the falsity of this idea. British exporters, British contractors have to fight for their place in your
market, against fierce competition and with varied fortune.
The value to Hong Kong of a market open to the traders and
investors of the world and yet given stability by the British
political connection is surely incalculable.
It would be a pity if this situation were taken too much for
granted. One thing is certain about the British to-day. Gone
for ever is any desire to impose themselves on anyone who
thinks that a traditional link with Britain has lost its value.
But the British are a funny people. They are ready to let
anyone who wants to do so go his own way : but at the same
time they have an acute sense of their historical responsibilities
and anyone who can justly appeal to it is certain of a response.
There are times when this response causes real loss and
hardship in Britain itself. The textile industry is a good
example where many people in Britain would say that we had
been excessively generous in offering markets at the expense
of our own industry. When the British Government feels
reluctantly obliged to impose certain restrictions, much is
heard of them. Nothing is heard of the far more frequent
occasions when it resists pressure for restrictions.
'Against this background it was no accident that in both
negotiations with the EEC, nearly all the most difficult
points related not to British interests at all, but to
those of other members of the Commonwealth, tropical sugar,
New Zealand butter, the special interests of Hong Kong and
other similar issues.
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