6
7
As regards the financing of the airport the FCO:
(a) agreed that financing the construction of the replacement airport was a tricky problem tied up with the question of Hong Kong's future;
(b) saw advantage in discussing the question of finance with
the Chinese but commented that, while a Chinese financial stake in an airport within Hong Kong would help boost confidence and encourage investors, it was hard to understand why they would be interested in financing either an international airport in Hong Kong or in Guangdong when they could better use the money to develop White Cloud Airport in Canton;
(c)
said it would be necessary to look carefully at the timing of any approach to the Chinese on finance (although they have no objection to contact being made with the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) on air traffic control and other technical questions at a fairly early stage).
The FCO accepted that there could be some attraction for the Chinese in the position of the replacement airport as part of the complex at Shenzhen, but agreed that the balance of the argument was clearly in favour of an airport at Chek Lap Kok. In summary, the FCO facour a Chek Lap Kok solution, including approaches by the Hong Kong Government to the Chinese first on technical questions and later (after further consultation with the FCO) on finance.
Recent Indications of Chinese Interest
8
Since Members discussed the issue on 19th August 1980, there have been no further suggestions from the Chinese on an official level about a replacement airport being built in China. Quite the contrary. Members of the NCNA and visiting officials from China have shown interest in plans for building the airport in Hong Kong and have enquired about progress. Although the evidence is not conclusive, such indications as we have suggest that most Chinese officials dealing with Hong Kong are sceptical about the idea of a replacement airport in Shenzhen and expect, or indeed hope, that the Chek Lap Kok project will go ahead.
9
The most recent development is that a German consortium, one of the seven groups bidding for the airport master plan consultancy for Chek Lap Kok, advised the DCA in early December that the CAAC had agreed
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