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MINISTER FOR TRADE'S APPEARANCE BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY AND TRADE: 15 DECEMBER
1. The Select Committee visited Hong Kong in October 1980 and again from 15-16 November 1982. A copy of a telegram from the British Trade Commission (BTC) reporting on the visit is attached at Annex A.
Possible points of interest to Select Committee members
2. From the BTC telegram and from contacts we have had with the Select Committee clerk it appears that the Committee may be particularly interested in the following points.
a)
Should BOTB spending on Hong Kong be incre ased? They believe that EOTB spends more on Japan than on Hong Kong, yet exports to the latter were greater than to the former. While recognising that Japan was no doubt by far the larger market in the longer term some members of the Committee felt that a little more money from the Department would make all the difference to our exports to Hong Kong.
b) Should more attention be given to non-project exports, as distinct from large projects?
c) Why are the British textile exports to Hong Kong still so disappointing in comparison to eg US textile exports to Hong Kong, despite the hopes raised during Mr Parkinson's visit to Hong Kong in September 1980?
a)
Should Britain encourage Hong Kong to follow a buy British policy? Was the Prime Minister mistaken to raise the issue of the leases with the Chinese?
e)
A suggested line to take and background notes on each of these points, and a general background note on UK/Hong Kong Trade are attached.