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MDTTAN 7681
ROWLANDS ASKED IF HONG KONG WAS, AS HAD BEEN SUGGESTED BY ONE WITNESS, ON THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS. THE BUSINESSMEN SAID THE RATE OF DEPARTURE OF TRAINED PERSONNEL WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM BUT NOT THAT
DESPARATE.
9. CHARLES MACKAY MADE A PLEA THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD TRY TO DEAL WITH IRRITATIONS SUCH AS THE PROBLEM OF THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND PASSPORTS AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENCOURAGE CONFIDENCE. HE THOUGHT A NUMBER OF EVENTS COULD CAUSE THE HONG KONG ECONOMY TO SLUMP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS - FOR INSTANCE A WORLD
-
RECESSION: A POWER STRUGGLE IN CHINA RESULTING IN A LACK OF CONFIDENCE WITHIN HONG KONG: OR SIGNS OF INTERFERENCE BY PRC OFFICIA - LS. ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE NOW TO REMOVE IRRITATION AND HELP MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE COULD ALSO HELP ENSURE THAT HONG KONG WOULD BE IN BETTER SHAPE TO SURVIVE A POSSIBLE MAJOR CRISIS AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.
10. WILL YOU PLEASE LET JOHN HALL IN DTI HAVE A COPY OF THIS.
SIGNED R.E. HOLLOWAY
YYYY
Copy sent кори
July 25/4.
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