00 HONG KONG DESKBY 270100Z
GRS 485
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 270100Z
FM FCO 261230Z JULY 82
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG,
RESTRICTED
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Akre 026/5
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 576 OF 26 JULY
тор сору
112
YOUR TELNO 745 : PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT
I to 108 Ј
193
WE
1. WE HAVE RECEIVED DRAFTS FROM DOI AND DOT RESPECTIVELY OF
SPEECHES FOR THE CASTLE PEAK OPENING AND THE BUSINESSMEN'S LUNCH, AND SHALL CHECK THESE WITH CHRISTIAN ADAMS, AS YOU SUGGEST.
HAVE DRAFTED AN INTRODUCTION FOR THE LUNCH SPEECH AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS: I SHOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY SAYING HOW IMPRESSED I HAVE
BEEN DURING MY VISIT BY HONG KONG AND HER PEOPLE. I AM ONLY
SORRY THAT MY STAY IS SO BRIEF. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN REINFORCED
IN MY IMPRESSIONS OF HONG KONG, AS A VIBRANT SOCIETY WITH A
DYNAMIC AND INDUSTRIOUS POPULATION. IT IS FULL OF LIFE AND
VIGOUR.
THERE HAVE OF COURSE BEEN CHANGES SINCE I WAS LAST HERE IN 1977
NEW TOWNS AND INDUSTRIAL ESTATES HAVE SPRUNG UP IN THE NEW
TERRITORIES, THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY HAS OPENED. HONG KONG HAS
BECOME EVEN MORE OF A FORCE IN THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE FAR EAST
AND THE WORLD.
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NOT EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE 1977 HAS BEEN WELCOME. BUT
I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY IN WHICH HONG KONG HAS DEALT WITH THE
PROBLEMS OF WORLD RECESSION, AND THE FLOW OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
INTO THE TERRITORY. INDEED, SINCE I WAS LAST HERE, HONG KONG HAS
SUSTAINED AN IMPRESSIVE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OF BETWEEN 8 AND 10 PER
CENT. WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THAT, WITH AN AREA OF ONLY SOME 400 SQUARE
MILES, HONG KONG HAD A GDP IN 1980 OF OVER POUNDS 10,000 MILLION,
ONE CAN ONLY EXPRESS AMAZEMENT AND ADMIRATION.
I WOULD NOT LIKE TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS ONLY IN THE
COMMERCIAL FIELD THAT HONG KONG IS WORTHY OF ADMIRATION.
SOME-
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