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RECIIVS IN
༄་པ་
24 JAN1999
BY OCCIDER
RA
CO Hum Esq
Hong Kong Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SWLA
Der Christophe
-
BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION
HONG KONG.
9 January 1989
N
Move-is
I Word fathasti
< 14
Enterp. (HK/China)
Mr Ji Shao Xiang, Head of The Foreign Affairs Department of the NCNA in Hong Kong, came to the Trade Commission on 5 January for a China Trade Unit reception. I took the opportunity to ask him how many PRC business offices were operating in Hong Kong. He said the NCNA had been sceptical about the number mentioned in the press 3,000 but having made some enquiries they were now inclined to believe there might indeed be 3,000. Many of the offices had been established without reference to the PRC authorities. When approached, some had told the NCNA they were Hong Kong not Chinese companies. I said I knew the routine: some British companies in Hong Kong showed similar flexibility.
We talked about the 30 percent share of the Hong Kong import market now held by the PRC. He said he had one thought about Hong Kong's expanding commercial dealings with the mainland: if they became too extensive, perhaps any necessary reigning-in of commercial activity in the PRC would have an undesirable effect on Hong Kong. He thought a broad spread of trading links was best and he was pleased that more business was being done with Britain. [The NCNA interviewed me last week at their request and the story they produced about increasing business between Britain and Hong Kong has appeared prominently in half a dozen Chinese newspapers].
Mr Ji said he had no idea how much longer he would stay in Hong Kong. Usually the Foreign Ministry were content that people should remain in Hong Kong for longer than the usual four year tour. This suited those of his age because they could keep in touch with their families at home but the younger members of the Service often preferred to move on to places that were "really foreign".
yours ever,
Reg
RE Holloway
Senior British Trade Commissioner
cc: S G Bradley Esq
Deputy Political Adviser
D G Martin Esq JLG
REH/mcs
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