TELNO OTTER 138
OF 1509002 NOVEMBER 91
INF ROUTINE FCO
MY
NO OTTER 129 :
VISIT TO BRITAIN OF MINISTERIAL TRADE PROMOTION DELETION 17-19 FEBRUARY 1992.
1. FOLLOWING MY TELECON WITH ELTON, I HAVE DISCUSSED ARRANGEMENTS
AND HIS COLLEAGUES. FURTHER WITH TAN CHIN NAM, M-D OF EDB,
2. TAN EXPRESSED GRATITUDE FOR OUR SWIFT AND COOPERATIVE RESPONSE. HIS TEAM HAD MAPPED OUT A CONCEPT FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THE MORNING OF 17 FEBRUARY AT THE DORCHESTER, WHICH WOULD BE CO-HOSTED BY MINISTER LIM BOON HENG AND A DTI MINISTER AND, WE HOPE, CO-SPONSORED BY CBI (SIR WILLIAM BARLOW HAS ALREADY ALERTED JOHN BANHAM TO THE VISIT). ON SPEAKERS, SIR PAUL CIROLANI OF GLAXO IS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE AND EDB (WITH WHOM HE IS CLOSELY CONNECTED) ARE APPROACHING HIM DIRECT. ROBIN PAUL OF ALBRIGHT AND WILSON AND DAVID JOHN OF INCHCAPE ARE ADDITIONAL POSSIBILITIES. HAVING BOTB CHAIRMAN WIND-UP IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA. AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE PROFESSOR TOMMY KOH, FORMER PERMANENT REP. TO UN (CHAIRMAN OF UNCED) IS PENCILLED IN AS CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN A GOOD CATCH IF AVAILABLE.
3. WE DISCUSSED THE CENTRAL THEME AND SUB-TOPICS. I STRESSED THE NEED TO EMPHASISE TO A UK AUDIENCE THE RELEVANCE OF SINGAPORE AS A
THIS SENSIBLE POINT OF ENTREE FOR BRITISH COMPANIES TO THE REGION. LED TO A DISCUSSION OF THE CONCEPT OF SINGAPORE'S TWINNING WITH HONG KONG (MY TELNO 372 TO FCO) AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CONFERENCE ADDRESSING THE THEME OF QUOTE SINGAPORE AND HONG KONG: ACCESS TO THE PACRIM UNQUOTE. EDB CHAIRMAN PHILIP YEO (WHO WILL ACCOMPANY MINISTER LIM) PROPOSES TO PURSUE THIS WITH HIS OPPOSITE NUMBER WHEN VISITING HONG KONG NEXT WEEK. I SOUGHT TO WEAN TAN AWAY FROM VAGUE CONCEPTS OF 'GLOBALISATION' AND *TWINNING' TO FOCUS MORE ON STRATEGIES AND PRIORITY SECTORS FOR COOPERATION E.G. WE HAVE WRITTEN RECENTLY (PETER FORD'S LETTER OF 21 OCTOBER) ABOUT SINGAPORE'S RECENT PUBLICATION OF ITS STRATEGIC ECONOMIC PLAN AND NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PLAN. SUB-THEMES COULD THEREFORE INCLUDE:
(I)
INVESTMENTS AND REGIONAL MARKETS (EUROPE, ASEAN AND PACRIM), (II) MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS,
III) REGIONAL GROWTH POINTS: THE GROWTH TRIANGLE AND
? HONG KONG'S HINTERLAND,
(IV)
SPECIFIC SECTORS.
4. THE IDENTIFICATION OF SECTORS WILL TO SOME EXTENT DEPEND ON THE
TEAM. SELECTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING INDUSTRIAL
TAN WHEN PRESSED, SAID HE HOPED TO FINALISE THIS BY THE END OF NOVEMBER. BUT TELECOMMUNICATIONS, I.T., AEROSPACE, ENGINEERING, ELECTRONICS,
YOU PETROCHEMICALS, AIRPORT SERVICES, WILL ALL CLEARLY FEATURE. ALREADY HAVE OUR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS ON PRIORITY SECTORS (DAVID DRAKE'S LETTER OF 11 SEPTEMBER).
5. THE INVESTMENT ANGLE WILL BE OF INTEREST TO IBB. BUT IT WILL GO MUCH WIDER THAN INWARD INVESTMENT INTO THE UK. ONE OF OUR MAJOR PRIORITIES REMAINS TO PERSUADE BRITISH INDUSTRY OF THE NEED TO TO TAKE A STAKE IN THE REGION. SINGAPORE'S INVESTMENT CAPITAL IS AVAILABLE FOR PARTICIPATION IN JOINT VENTURES WITH UK COMPANIES FOR ASEAN REGIONAL PURPOSES.
S. THE AIMS OF THE VISIT REMAIN AS SET OUT IN MY OTTER NO 129. APART
A FROM THE QUOTE AWARENESS UNQUOTE ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENTATIONS, VITAL ELEMENT IS TO PROMOTE IMMEDIATE AND DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN DECISION-MAKERS ON BOTH SIDES. THESE WILT NEED TO BE CAREFULLY SELECTED AND MOUNTED. THIS MAY WELL PROVE TO BE THE MOST PRACTICAL CONTRIBUTION WE CAN MAKE TO ENSURE SPECIFIC FOLLOW-THROUGH FROM UK INDUSTRY TO ASSIST IN THIS, SCHRODERS HERE (SIMBL) HAVE SHOWN INTEREST IN OFFERING TO HOST A WORKING DINNER ON THE MONDAY EVENING: THEIR CHAIRMAN, GEORGE MALLINCKROOT IS BEING APPROACHED.
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