CONFIDENTIAL
4. In May
In May 1985, after preliminary discussions with Department of
Transport officials and other interested parties, the Hong Kong
Government published a consultative document containing detailed
proposals for such a register. The principal features of the
register would be that:
(a) its standards and obligations should be set out in local
legislation;
(b) it should not be, nor be regarded as, a flag of convenience;
(c)
it should operate to international standards;
(d) it should have a distinctive flag;
(e) it should be self-financing;
(f) it should be as
as possible to shipowners within
allow them to register and de-register
attractive
these constraints
and
their ships
quickly as
'red-tape'.
possible as
with
a
minimum of
Comments were invited and have been received from Hong Kong shipping and related industries. These are now being considered by the Hong
Kong Government.
5. The Embassy in Peking gave
in
publication.
So
no
the Chinese the Chinese a copy of the document
advance of
far we have received
official
indication of their views. When the Hong Kong Director of Marine visited Peking in September he was told by the Chinese Ministry of Communications that an official response to the proposals could only originate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His impression was
that
Chinese the
Were
in
broad
agreeable
the receipt
of
more
terms
principles in the consultative document, but wished
position pending
to the
general
to reserve their
detailed
information.
CONFIDENTIAL