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FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 16113OZ F
TELNO 3377
SARAS SET
HKC049/RESTRICTED
RECEP
ke
OF 16095OZ NOVEMBER 90
19 NOV 1990 TOP COPY
Q DIST?
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
102
077740
MDHIAN 9686
Told FED we lave
wty to add to this
PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
96.
YOUR TELNO 2166: SOAS:
CONTEMPORARY CHINA INSTITUTE
THIS SOUNDS A WELL MEANING PROJECT. BOB ASH IS SIMILARLY A WELL MEANING, RATHER SHY, CHARACTER. HE MENTIONED THE GERM OF THIS IDEA TO ME WHEN HE WAS IN HONG KONG A FEW MONTHS AGO.
2.
THE VALUE OF THE PROJECT WILL BE IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT CAN LOOK IN A PRACTICAL WAY
AT PRACTICAL PROBLEMS. BY THE SAME TOKEN, RAREFIED ACADEMIC DISCUSSION ABOUT AN IDEALISED VIEW OF HONG KONG AS A CONTINUING BASTION OF WESTERN VALUES IS UNLIKELY TO PRODUCE ANYTHING OF WORTH. ASH SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO FIND PRACTICALLY MINDED PEOPLE TO DO HIS RESEARCH AND TO INVOLVE PEOPLE WITH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE FROM GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS. THE APPROACH ADOPTED BY IISS IS THE RIGHT MODEL. UNFORTUNATELY, HONG KONG ACADEMICS DO NOT HAVE A PARTICULARLY GOOD RECORD IN THIS RESPECT, BUT THAT IS NO REASON TO NEGLECT THEM. IT IS JUST A QUESTION OF TRYING TO BUILD UP THE BEST POSSIBLE TEAM.
3.
ASH WILL PROBABLY LOOK FOR FUNDING. I SEE LITTLE PROSPECT OF DIRECT FUNDING FROM THE HKG. ANY ACADEMIC INVOLVEMENT FROM HERE WOULD OF COURSE BE INDIRECTLY FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT. HIS BEST BET IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR. BUT, AS HE WILL KNOW ALL TOO WELL, THERE ARE MANY BEES ROUND THAT PARTICULAR HONEY POT. IF HMG CAN PROVIDE SOME INJECTION OF FUNDING THROUGH, E.G. RESEARCH DEPARTMENT, I WOULD THINK IT WORTHWHILE SUBJECT TO THE CAUTIONARY WORDS IN PARA 2 ABOVE.
WILSON
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