RECOMMENDATIONS:
BARRIE WIGGHAM/AUST PAGE 5
1. Business:
Having made contact with a number of key organisations, there needs to be immediate follow-up from Hong Kong and a continuing flow of information outling developments as they occur in terms of the Basic Law, direct elections in Hong Kong, political changes in China, and investment levels in both Hong Kong and China.
In the absence of an official Hong Kong Government office in Australia, a framework needs to be established to provide direct access for key business figures to informed Hong Kong Government officials. This can perhaps best be achieved through a programme in which some key people are brought to Hong Kong for participation in a carefully-structured itinerary which brings them face-to-face with officials with whom they can maintain some form of ongoing relationship.
The same recommendation applies to State Government (and perhaps even Federal Government) officials/bureaucrats.
A flow of written information and background notes to key government and business individuals/organisations should also be commenced with immediate effect. An early need is a simplified precis of the proposals of the Basic Law, detailing the extent of separateness in the various areas to ensure an understanding of the situation post-1997. In this context, some detailed figures on investment into Hong Kong and Southern China in the months since June 1989 would assist. These figures should be updated on a continuing basis.
2. Media:
Similar recommendations apply as for business. There is a clear lack of understanding and this needs to be addressed. As a start, a regular media backgrounder could be distributed to key journalists in all forms of media we have already started this approach with HKTDC material.
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Most of all, the media needs to have a contact in Australia through whom they can access information and/or Hong Kong Government personnel. This role would require ongoing contact with the Secretariat and the overseas information division of GIS. Once established, the person handling this role would generally be advised by media organisations of any plans to send journalists/camera crews to Hong Kong for specific assignments and would be in a position to brief Hong Kong on their pre-conceptions.
As with business, there is a need for a limited programme through which selected journalists could be brought to Hong Kong for briefing.
As an immediate need, a system of monitoring media in Australia should be instituted to keep GIS and the Secretariat aware of the media approach to Hong Kong in Australia. This can be easily implemented for both print and electronic media through Media Monitors-NJP and I have asked them for a series of options and costings which should be available by Monday (12/3).
3. The Chinese community:
I believe there is a need to address the questions you raised in the Chinese community in Australia. This would need to be done, of course, by a relevant Hong Kong Chinese member of the Hong Kong Government visiting Sydney and Melbourne. Target audiences would include students, Australia-China Chambers of Commerce, Chinese community groups and perhaps even a loose group of Hong Kong Chinese professionals now resident in Australia. I raise this purely as a concept for consideration.
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