Mr A Coppin TRED
Room G 5/1
FCO
Downing Street
SW1
COMMERCIAL RELATIONS AND EXPORTS DEPARTMENT OF TRADE
1 Victoria Street London SW1H OET
Telex 8811074/5 DTIHA G
Telegrams Advantage London SW1 Telephone Direct Line 01-215 5273
Switchboard 01-215 7877
HKK 026/2
RASAVED
2 CFEB 1978
DESK OFF.
INDEX
Your reference
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
́ Our reference
Date
9 February 1978
Joe M. Coffin
We spoke about my letter of 25 Jannay 78 to Thompson in HKGD concerning the proposal that the Senior British Trade Commissioner in Hong Kong (Mr March) should visit the UK in May, 1978, to speak at a series of seminars organised by the Hong Kong Trade Advisory Group. Below is a list of the seminars held since the duty tour of the previous SBTC (Mr Kinnear) in October, 1976.
Date
1976
#
Venue
Attendance
2533
BTC Representation
4 October
London
SBTC (Mr Kinnear)
55
5 October
Manchester
SBTC (
"
40
28 October
Poole, Dorset
None (
It
>
1977
24 May
Sheffield·
None
16
17/18 November
Glasgow
None
31
6 December
Newcastle
ATC (Mr Orr)
45/50
As you can see the level of support for seminars is decreased when we are unable to put a BTC staff member forward as a speaker. As far as Hong Kong is concerned there is an additional problem in that the SBTC would not normally be expected to
In return to the UK until 1979 - almost three years since the previous visit. this interim period we have only had two de-briefing tours by BTC staff during which, for obvious reasons, it proves impossible to arrange seminars, and one visit by the junior commercial officer.
The Hong Kong Trade Advisory Group are anxious to maintain the momentum of these events and it is with this in mind that the programme this coming May has been proposed. Although I would not wish to draw a direct comparison between these events and export performance, it needs to be stated that UK exports to Hong Kong increased by well over 30% last year an increase substantially better than that achieved in any year in the last deaade. What can certainly be stated is that they have contributed to a growing awareness of Hong Kong as a market amongst UK businessmen. One example of this is that some 130 British companies will be exhibiting at an exhibition in Hong Kong in June, 1978. When we attempted to mount an exhibition in March, 1976, plans were called off due to lack of support.
学
€2681