Britain's Economic Stake in Hong Kong
- As well as being our duty, it is also in Britain's own interest to
keep Hong Kong stable and prosperous.
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Hong Kong is one of Britain's largest overseas markets and our
total trade with it amounts to more than £4 billion a year. In 1989
Britain exported goods worth £1.1 billion to Hong Kong and the first
figures for 1990 show a 12% increase. Our invisible exports were
worth another £1.2 billion. Hong Kong is our largest export market
in Asia, after Japan.
- Over 400 British companies have operations there. In addition, many of Hong Kong's largest companies are British managed and have major British shareholdings. A large number of British companies
have substantial investment in real estate, aviation,
telecommunications, financial services and the retail trade.
- Putting a total figure on British investment in Hong Kong is
difficult. But the gross stock market value of British owned, controlled or managed companies in Hong Kong has been estimated at
some £20 billion. The great majority of these produce significant
returns for the UK.
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An impoverished Hong Kong would be bad news for jobs in this
country. Last year the Airbus order alone brought contracts worth
£750 million to the UK. This year John Brown, Harker Siddley, NEI
and Leyland Bus
have all won to name but a few British companies
large contracts.
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Looking to the future, the Hong Kong Government's ambitious plans
for the construction of a new international airport and the
expansion of the container port - which will cost some £10 billion
over 15 years, the largest infrastructure project of its kind in the
World · should also provide major new opportunities for British companies.
ASHADC