CONFIDENTIAL
065157
MDLIAN 8973
-
·
-
I
FOR
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITS RESOLUTION. THE PRIME REQUIREMENT, TO MY MIND REMAINS A DETERMINED MOVE TOWARDS ENHANCED GLOBAL AWARENESS (MY DESPATCH OF 28 OCTOBER 1987) BY MANY MORE BRITISH FIRMS, PARTICULARLY IN 'NICHE' HIGH TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES OF ALL KINDS THUS GOING WITH THE SINGAPORE GRAIN. I EMPHASISE THE WORD ''GLOBAL
IT CANNOT BE SUFFICIENT, GIVEN THE RATE AT WHICH THE ECONOMIES OF THE PACIFIC RIM ARE NOW GROWING, TO CONCENTRATE ON THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN EUROPE WHATEVER THE JUSTIFICATION WHICH I FULLY ACCEPT INCREASED INVLOVEMENT IN BOTH MARKETS. IF I AM RIGHT, THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE'S FIRST PRIORITY, ITS TRADTIONAL ROLES APART, MUST BE TO IMPROVE OUR OWN PERFORMANCE AS ''MISSIONARIES' (PARA 19 OF MY ''SECOND IMPRESSIONS'' DESPATCH). THIS HIGH COMMISSION ALREADY SUBJECTS EVERY VISITING BRITISH BUSINESSMAN, NOT ALREADY PHYSICALLY INVOLVED HERE, TO ORDEAL BY PERSUASION, OUR TEXT BEING: ''EXPORT BEGIN UNDERLINING AND END UNDERLINING ESTABLISH YOUR- SELF IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN
5.
-
THE RESPONSE IS NATURALLY MIXED. BUT THERE IS SOME ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT EVEN SOME SMALLER FIRMS ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT A PHYSICAL PRESENCE HERE, OR ELSEWHERE IN ASIA, DEPENDING ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL COMMERCIAL JUDGEMENT AT LEAST IN THE SHAPE OF A RESIDENT REGIONAL SALES MANAGER OR REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IF A JOINT VENTURE OR INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT IS TOO GREAT AN INITIAL COMMITMENT IS, IN MOST CASES THE ESSENTIAL CONDITION OF SURVIVAL AND GROWTH IN REGIONAL MARKETS AND BEYOND. ALL MEMBERS OF MY COMMERCIAL SECTION WILL CARRY THE SAME MESSAGE DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE DUTY TOURS IN BRITAIN. I WILL DO LIKEWISE WHEN I RETURN FOR MIDTOUR LEAVE EARLY NEXT YEAR.
/
J 1
6.
BUT I AM SURE YOU WILL AGREE THAT THE MISSION TO PERSUADE IS NOT A PURELY SINGAPORE RELATED ISSUE. NOR CAN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE, GIVEN ITS OTHER RESPONSIBILITES AND PREOCCUPATIONS, AND NECESSARILY LIMITED RESOURCES, MAKE MUCH MORE THAN A MARGINAL IMPACT ON DECISIONS BY THE MASS OF BRITISH FIRMS. THE REAL JOB OF INCALCATING A SENSE OF ''GLOBAL AWARENESS MUST BE DONE WITHIN BRITAIN ITSELF. IT IS SURELY A LONG-TERM TASK NOT ONLY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO FOR BODIES SUCH AS THE CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRY, LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AND MAJOR BANKS. AND SURELY ALSO ''EXPORT BEGIN UNDERLINING AND END UNDERLINING ESTABLISH YOUR SELF IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN
IN ALL MAJOR DEVELOPED MARKETS AND, PERHAPS ALSO, IN SELECTED DEVELOPING ONES IS A THOUGHT WHICH FLOWS NATURALLY FROM THE PHILOSOPHY WHICH ANIMATES THE JANUARY WHITE PAPER ON ''DTI THE DEPARTMENT FOR ENTERPRISE.
11-
-
2
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
-
||