3. DURING THE VISIT THREE BROAD THEMES EMERGED:-
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A. THE IMPROVEMENT OF BRITISH EXPORT PERFORMANCE IN HONG KONG.
THERE WAS REGRET THAT BRITAIN HAD ONLY 4.5 PERCENT OF THE IMPORT MARKET AND SOME, LIKE TOM MCNALLY, SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD ADOPT A MORE FRENCH APPROACH TO OUR OWN TERRITORY' AND FORCE THEM TO BUY MORE FROM BRITAIN. THIS WAS NOT HOWEVER THE MAJORITY VIEW AND THE COMMITTEE WAS MORE CONCERNED TO KNOW. WHAT COULD BE DONE TO MAKE BRITISH COMPANIES MORE AWARE OF THE MARKET AND MORE COMPETENT IN IT. WE EXPLAINED THE WORK OF THE BTC AND EMPHASISED THE VERY STOUT PERFORMANCE BY BRITISH COMPANIES LIKE GEC, METRO-CAMMELL AND DENNIS. WE SUGGESTED THAT THE COMMITTEE SHOULD TAKE EVERY OCCASION TO PUBLICISE THE OPPORTUNITY OF HONG KONG BOTH IN THEIR OWN CONSTITUENCIES AND NATIONALLY AND THAT THEY SHOULD DISTINGUISH OFFSHORE OIL AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AS GROWING AREAS WHERE BRITAIN POSSESSED PARTICULAR COMPETENCE. WE EMPHASISED THE EFFORTS WHICH HAD MBEEN MADE IN CONSUMER GOODS WITH SUCH MISSIONS AS JOHN CAINES' ''ELEGANCE AND EXCELLENCE'' BUT THAT MORE COMPANIES SHOULD IMITATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MARKS AND SPENCER AND
ROWNTREE IN SELLING INTO HONG KONG.
B. HONG KONG' FEARS OF CREEPING PROTECTIONISM IN BRITAIN AND
THE EEC. THE SESSION WITH BILL DORWARD NATURALLY CONCENTRATED ON THE ISSUE OF TEXTILES AND THE MFA WHERE THE SELECT COMMITTEE TOOK A GENERALLY FREE TRADE AND SYMPATHETIC LINE. BILL DORWARD SUGGESTED THAT BRITAIN SHOULD PRESS THE THEME OF RECIPROCITY AT BRUSSELS BUT IAN MIKARDO ARGUED THAT THE FRENCH AND ITALIANS
WOULD BE QUITE IMPERVIOUS TO SUCH AN APPROACH.
C. UNFAIR COMPETITION FROM HONG KONG. STAN CROWTHER RAISED THE
ISSUE OF LOW WAGES BUT BILL DORWARD WAS QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT SUBSIDISED RENTS MADE THE REAL INCOME OF THE HONG KONG WORKER SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. HE ALSO POINTED TO THE EXPENSE OF LAND IN HONG KONG AND THEIR DISTANCE FROM THEIR MAIN MARKETS: THESE SERIOUS DISADVANTAGES WHICH HONG KONG HAD MANAGED TO OVERCOME.