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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKREPJLG HONG KONG, WELLINGTON,
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, MELBOURNE, SYDNEY
VISIT OF GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TO AUSTRALIA
SUMMARY
1. A USEFUL VISIT. DESPITE PATCHY MEDIA COVERAGE THE VISIT WAS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONVEY A MORE BALANCED PICTURE OF THE FUTURE
OF HONG KONG THAN IS NORMALLY OFFERED BY THE AUSTRALIAN MEDIA.
DETAIL
2. THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG VISITED AUSTRALIA FROM 9 15 MAY. THIS WAS THE FIRST EVER VISIT BY A GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TO AUSTRALIA. HONG KONG ARE REPORTING THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CALLS BUT YOU MAY LIKE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE VISIT'S IMPACT ON THE AUSTRALIAN
BUSINESS AND POLITICAL COMMUNITY.
3. THE AUSTRALIANS ATTACH CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH HONG KONG: A REFLECTION OF THE LARGE VOLUME OF TRADE AND PRESENCE OF OVER 250 AUSTRALIAN FIRMS THERE. THIS WAS SHOWN IN THEIR OFFERING OF GUEST OF GOVERNMENT STATUS AND
THE LEVEL AT WHICH SIR D WILSON WAS RECEIVED. IN CANBERRA HE MET THE PRIME MINISTER (HAWKE), FOREIGN MINISTER (EVANS), PLUS MINISTERS FOR TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AND OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT (BLEWETT), TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS (BEAZLEY), IMMIGRATION (HAND), ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES (BOLKUS), LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION AND SHADOW FOREIGN MINISTER.
4. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAD LIMITED OBJECTIVES FOR THE VISIT: TO MAKE THE GOVERNOR WELCOME AND TO UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE TO AUSTRALIA OF HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PROSPERITY. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TAKES A HELPFUL STAND ON MOST HONG KONG ISSUES AND HAS A STAKE IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE. THE GOVERNOR'S TASK WAS NOT TO CHANGE OPINIONS BUT TO MAINTAIN HIGH-LEVEL CONTACT.
5.
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY'S REACTION IN SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE WAS VERY POSITIVE. THEY WERE IMPRESSED BY THE GOVERNOR'S UP-BEAT
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