CONFIDENTIAL
031001
MDHIAN 841
WOULD NOT NORMALLY QUOTE THESE AS WE CANNOT BE SURE OF THE STATISTICAL BASIS ON WHICH THEY ARE COMPILED. SOME FIGURES CAN BE QUITE STUNNING. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN THE CHIEF SECRETARY VISITED THE DISTRICT OF DONGGUAN IN GUANGDONG LAST DECEMBER (WHICH HAS PARTICULARLY CLOSE HONG KONG CONNECTIONS) HE WAS TOLD THAT THEIR ECONOMY HAD GROWN AT A RATE OF 26 PERCENT PER ANNUM OVER THE LAST DECADE. WHEN ONE REMEMBERS THAT GUANGDONG HAS A POPULATION OF 60 MILLION (LIKE FRANCE) AND HONG KONG ONE OF 6 MILLION THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL FOR THE COMBINED CANTONESE REGION LOOKS IMPRESSIVE (COMPARE TAIWAN WITH A POPULATION OF ONLY 20 MILLION).
FORD
YYYY
MAIN
30
LIMITED
HKD
FED
PS
ADDITIONAL
MR YAXLEY (HKGO/LONDON)
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
31
PS/LORD CAITHNESS PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE 2 CONFIDENTIAL