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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIA
FM HONG KONG 211020Z MAR 79
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
„FOLX
TELEGRAM NUMBER 406 OF 21 MARCH--
145/
2 2 MAR 1979
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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
MY TELNO 388: UK/CHINA SHIPPING.
See (344) (44) (57) (58)
1. IN YOUR UN-NUMBERED TEL OF 16 MARCH YOU ASKED FOR AN ASSESSEMENT OF HOW HONG KONG INTERESTS WOULD BE AFFECTED BY A MARITIME AGREEMENT WHICH EXCLUDED HONG KONG.
2. FEW HONG KONG REGISTERED SHIPS TRADE WITH CHINA AT PRESENT, THOUGH MORE MAY DO SO IN FUTURE. OWNERS OF LOCALLY REGISTERED SHIPS SEE NO ADVANTAGE IN AN AGREEMENT. INDEED THEY FEAR THAT IT MIGHT PREJUDICE THEIR LUCRATIVE TRADE WITH TAIWAN. CONSEQUENTLY A GENERAL REQUIREMENT IS THAT ANY AGREEMENT (INCLUDING OR EXCLUDING HONG KONG) SHOULD AVOID ANYTHING LIKELY TO CAUSE TAIWAN TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST HONG KONG REGISTERED OR OWNED SHIPPING.
3. AN AGREEMENT WHICH EXCLUDED HONG KONG WOULD HAVE BOTH TECHNICAL AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS. TO TAKE THE TECHNICAL SIDE FIRST HONG KONG IS A BRITISH PORT OF REGISTRY. WITH A METROPOLITAN ONLY AGREEMENT THE CHINESE WOULD NOT ACCEPT HONG KONG ISSUED DOCUMENTS AS BEING VALID UNDER THE AGREEMENT. THESE DOCUMENTS INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE REGISTERING OF SHIPS THEMSELVES, BUT CERTIFICATES FOR REPAIR, SURVEY ETC. THOSE POTENTIALLY INVOLVED IN THE CHINA TRADE WOULD THEN AVOID HONG KONG AS A PLACE FOR REGISTERING, REPAIRING OR SURVEYING SHIPS. THIS WOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING IMPLICATIONS :
(1) IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THE NUMBER OF SHIPS ON THE HONG KONG REGISTER HAS RISEN FROM AROUND 20 TO 59 SHIPS (1.2 MILLION GROSS TONS). THE MAJORITY OF NEWCOMERS HAVE EITHER TRANSFERRED FROM FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE OR WOULD HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE. BECAUSE THEY ARE REGISTERED IN HONG KONG THEY NOW OFFER INCREASED JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO BRITISH OFFICERS. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A TENDENCY TO EMPLOY HONG KONG CREWS ON THESE VESSELS. ANY MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE HONG KONG REGISTER MIGHT LEAD TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF OFFICERS AND CREWS FROM ELSEWHERE,
CONFIDENTIAL
/ (II) ANY