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FM BTC HONG KONG 021020Z
UNCLASSIFIED
TO PRIORITY F.C.O TELNO.BTC.42 OF 2 MAY 78,
HKK Moy!
INDEX
No
- 3 MAY 1978
OFFICER
NO.
RE
RY
Action Taken
See (702
INFO PRIORITY D.O.T (CRE4), D.0.1 (MACDONALD 1C2), PEKING.
THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL OF 28 APRIL CARRIED AN ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT, DATELINED LONDON UNDER THE BY-LINE OF ARTHUR GAVSHON, IN WHICH THE GOVERNOR WAS SAID TO HAVE CITED THE FOLLOWING AS AN EXAMPLE OF GROWING CO-OPERATION
BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG :-
"HONG KONG AUTHORITIES ARE DISCUSSING POSSIBLE PURCHASE
OF UP TO THREE MILLION TONS OF COAL A YEAR TO SERVE A PLANNED DUAL-FIRED COAL AND OIL-BURNING POWER STATION, WHICH A BRITISH CONSORTIUM HAS CONTRACTED TO BUILD IN THE NEXT FEW
YEARS AT A COST OF AROUND DOLLARS TWO HUNDRED MILLION. THE CHINESE SIMULTANEOUSLY HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO BUY ABOUT DOLLARS THREE HUNDRED MILLION OF MINING EQUIPMENT FROM BRITAIN TO
DEVELOP THEIR MINERAL AND COAL RESOURCES. IF PRICE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT, CHINA PRESUMABLY WILL GET THE CONTRACT TO SUPPLY HONG KONG ALTHOUGH AUSTRALIA IS ALSO A POSSIBLE COAL SUPPLIER.
THE HONG KONG STANDARD OF 28 APRIL CARRIED A SHORTER REPORT ON THE SAME SUBJECT, ALSO DATELINED LONDON BUT NOT ATTRIBUTED
TO A.P.
2. YOU WILL RECALL A SIMILAR REPORTED UNDERTAKING LAST JANUARY,
ALSO ATTRIBUTED TO A.P (OUR BTC6 OF 25 JAN REFERS). WE ARE RESPONDING TO LOCAL ENQUIRIES AS ON THAT OCCASION.
MORRISON
FILES
FED
HK & GD
ES & SD MR MURRAY
[PASSED BY COD]
COPIES TO CREA DOT
MR MACDONALD IC2 DOI
100