CONFIDENTIAL
HKU 040/57
RECEIV
INDL
1
1 2 NOV 1984
TOP COPY
GPS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG 12103OZ NOV 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER BTC 135 OF 12 NOVEMBER
YOUR TELNO 1385 : PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO PEKING AND HONG KONG
IN YOUR PARA 5(C) YOU ASKED FOR OUR COMMENTS ON A POSSIBLE BRIEF
VISIT IN HONG KONG IN CONNECTION WITH BRITISH TRADE.
2. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM PARA 2 OF HKG'S TEL 3421 THAT THEY
WISH THE OUTSIDE AFTERNOON VISIT TO BE ORIENTATED TOWARDS THE
HONG KONG COMMUNITY AND NOT TOWARDS BRITISH COMMERCIAL LINKS
WITH THE TERRITORY. WE CANNOT QUARREL WITH THIS GIVEN THE BREVITY
OF THE VISIT. SHOULD YOU, HOWEVER, DECIDE ON THE NECESSITY OF
INJECTING SOME SMALL BRITISH COMMERCIAL ELEMENT INTO IT A VISIT
TO THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK WOULD BE THE OBVIOUS ANSWER.
THOUGH STILL UNFINISHED IT IS ALREADY A SPECTACULAR BUILDING
AND ONE WHICH SYMBOLISES HONG KONG AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE, AS
WELL AS EXHIBITING BRITISH PRODUCTS LIKE STEEL AND COMMUNICATIONS
EQUIPMENT.
3. IS DENIS THATCHER ACCOMPANYING THE PRIME MINISTER? YOU MAY
RECALL THAT IN 1982 WE ARRANGED A COMMERCIAL PROGRAMME FOR HIM
AND COULD PROVIDE ANOTHER IN ABBREVIATED FORM IF DESIRED.
4. I AM NOT REPEATING THIS TELEGRAM TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
ADAMS
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195
CONFIDENTIAL