or we

$5 bn

borrowing limit?

HKA 233

233/1

Reference..

CONFIDENTIAL

Ра

Mr

дох

PENSIONS FUNDING: SOME CALCULATIONS

1.

492

In paragraph 8 of your minute of 7 August you suggest that, unless there is some fatal flaw in the figures, it might be possible for HKG/SARG fully to fund pensions over a reasonable period of time. I think the only problem is that our figures are in 1992 prices and therefore do not take count of the additional, say 7.5%, that should be added to them to show money of the day values. For example, the HK$19.34billion in paragraph 7 (a) would translate into a much larger figure by 1997. (Incidentally it is surprising that the Chinese accepted a figure of only HK$25billion for the reserves in 1997. Translated into 1991 values, this is only HK$15.6 billion deflating at 7.5%.

2.

-

I do not think this invalidates our thoughts but I suspect it does mean that fully funding is not a realistic possibility unless the Exchange Fund can be somehow brought into play.

3. I shall consider further, discussing with Mr Lane, what might be needed for a pensions trust fund.

Mühl ustae.

M V Stone

Hong Kong Department

WH 304 270 2651

11 August 1992

cc: Chris Lane

CODE 18-77

pens.fun.ADM

SLM

Thanks. I think I made clear that these figwes were

a

question of lopping $19 bn 1992, ie it is not just off the projected 1997 reserves; but you may well be

for HICG night that it wd be harder than we suppose

and to sex-aride $3.5bn per year rising by 5% p.a. upgraded for inflation.

The question of 1991 prices or 1997 prices for the reserves sex-aside did come up in the awport negotiations and Rovided some of the justification for ow moving up to $25 bn from the lower figue proposed in April. The Chinese did not handle this very clevery though, reason why Lu hing is so

Al cc des have

CONFIDENTIAL

and it may

Luling is so prickly.

an

12/

be awhe

4.95

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