UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE DESKBY 101200Z FCO HKC182
TELNO 11
OF 10070OZ JANUARY 90
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
4
001370
MDHIAN 1875
TOP COPY DIST 7
AND TO ROUTINE DTI
16 JAN 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDCA
DTI FOR ADAMS PEP AND LOVE OT2/2
MY TELNO 10: AIRPORT PROJECT
REGISTRY Action Taken
1. MRS ANSON CHAN, SECRETARY OF ECONOMIC SERVICES, ADDRESSING A MEETING OF THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON 10 JANUARY WAS ASKED BY THE FIRST QUESTIONER WHY IT WAS THAT WITH HEATHROW AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST PROFITABLE AIRPORT AND BRITISH AIRWAYS THE MOST PROFITABLE AIRLINE, BRITISH AIRPORTS AUTHORITIES AMONG THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DESIGNERS AND MANAGERS OF AIRPORTS, THAT NEITHER THEY NOR ANY OTHER BRITISH COMPANIES WERE SHORT LISTED FOR THE HONG
KONG AIRPORT PROJECT MASTER CONSULTANCY.
2. HER REPLY WAS THAT A LARGE PART OF THE HONG KONG'S SUCCESS HAS BEEN BECAUSE COMMERCIAL COMPETITION HAS BEEN COMPLETELY OPEN. FIRMS HAVE BEEN SELECTED ON THE TERMS OF VALUE FOR MONEY. THIS HAS SERVED HONG KONG WELL. IT WAS NOT IN HONG KONG'S INTEREST TO DEPART FROM THESE PRINCIPALS WHICH ARE APPLIED WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR. COMPANIES WERE JUDGED ON THEIR MERITS. THE ABSENCE OF BRITISH COMPANIES WAS NOT A REFLECTION ON THE COMPETENCE OF BRITISH FIRMS. THIS WAS THE START OF A MULTI FACETED PROJECT AND BRITISH COMPANIES
WOULD HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
3. THIS DOUBTLESS WILL BE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S CONSISTENT
LINE.
4. MRS CHAN'S TALK, LARGELY ON THE AIRPORT AND PORT, DID NOT ADD ANYTHING TO OUR EXISTING KNOWLEDGE.
HEAP
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UNCLASSIFIED