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13. As a natural. development to its role at ILO, Hong Kong envisages planning to send in 1986, for the first time,
a tripartite delegation to the annual ILO conference in Geneva in June 1986. This would be, as in the past, as advisers, ie part of the UK delegation. It is not envisaged that Hong Kong would aspire to the higher non-metropolitan status of
'observer' which Bermuda currently enjoys. The tripartite idea will shortly be appraised within FCO; it is not expected that China would offer any objection to tripartism, although it might be felt appropriate to acquaint them in advance.
China
14. China is not a member of the Eastern bloc trade union federation WFTU (World Federation of Trade Unions, based in Prague). It does not at present show any inclination towards WFTU membership and, if anything, displays an increased tendency towards Western unions, industry and technology. The ACFTU appears to be seeking more outward contacts and this might very usefully be built upon.
15. The ACFTU and FTU have some links with British academics (Professors Thurley at LSE and Turner at Cambridge) and the ACFTU has recently responded favourably to proposals to use British Council and otherUK scholarships tenable at LSE, Ruskin College, Oxford and the Electricians Union (EETPU) at Cudham, Kent. The subjects of interst to the Chinese are labour law, trade union administration, labour economics and industrial psychology. It might be well worth directing further FCO/ODA assistance, possibly those previously earmarked for UNESCO to this area which could well serve to steer ACFTU, and by implication FTU, in a Westerly direction.
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16. The Chinese Special Economic Zones bordering Hong Kong Shenzhan and Zhuhai
appear at present not to offer any competition to Hong Kong's economic activity and the Hong Kong trade unions have little, if any links, there. But in due course these can be expected to materialise and should be kept under review as the expected convergency emerges.
17. The provision of Chinese unskilled labour, initially in the form of 10,000 domestic maids per year for Hong Kong is now being proposed by the Canton Provincial Labour Bureau. This has advantages in relieving a tight local labour market and has social advantages (there is a population imbalance in Hong Kong with single young males well outnumbering single young females), but there are obvious disadvantages from the security and immigration standpoint. The views of Peking will probably need to be sought on this aspect.
we await
a til for
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/Conclusion
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