Mr Williamagn
14.12
Reference..
Нікког
<02617
KALLIVE
1 SEP 1900
(9.2)
A
DONK OFFRICH BOEX
PA
Action Taken
FAMILIARISATION VISIT TO HONG KONG AND PEKING 10-29 NOVEMBE
1. I have recently returned from a familiarisation visit to Hong Kong (10-24 November) and Peking (24-29 November). This was my first official duty journey overseas and my first visit to the Far East.
2. The purpose of my visit to Hong Kong was a general familiarisation of those aspects of Hong Kong Government policy and activity for which I am responsible as a desk officer in Hong Kong and General Department. Authority for my extending the tour to Peking was determined in view of my background as a Senior Research Officer on secondment to Hong Kong and General Department and expected to return to Research Department (Far Eastern Section) in July 1981.
Hong Kong
3. Since the visit was my first to Hong Kong, a number of thoughts and reactions are inevitably impressionistic and general.
The hectic and rather tight programme (attached) arranged for me was also conducive to this effect. I recognise the limitations of first impressions (especially since I was there for only two weeks) and I am aware that thoughts which struck me forcibly and with novelty are probably not that new but have been properly and full weighed and considered by others before me. Nevertheless, there may be some value in my first impressions for the record.
4. I wonder whether any visitor to Hong Kong today can be truly prepared for the sheer pace at which activity seems to be conducted. A frenetic atmosphere is generated not only by the brisk and purposeful manner of people in the street but also by the pace of activity in, say, the building construction industry (I am sure that the skyline changed even during my two-week stay, with buildings coming down and new ones rising almost overnight). Nevertheless, despite the apparent chaos caused by so much happening so quickly, was surprised how effectively and efficiently both public and private services "worked".
I
5. The atmosphere, then, is one in which people work hard and energetically; activity seems generally inspired by ernest and serious- minded purpose.
This certainly seemed true of the Government officials
The officials I with whom I spent practically the whole of my time. met all took a very serious and conscientious attitude towards their jobs. It was not my place to be critical of any area of Government activity, and I did not voice any, but it was apparent that all officials I spoke to are sensitive to criticism from very many quarters. Clearly the sensitivity is most acute when the critics are MPs or officials from the UK. However, since that very criticism is often levelled at Hong Kong Government's unresponsiveness to public opinion the officials I met all seemed very well aware of the need to discover, consider and wherever appropriate, act on local public views. was/
This
CODE 18-77