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From:
P8/Mr Goodlad
Mr
Mr B 11/5.
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Mr Ricketts, HKD
Ricke
Who sign cc:
Mr fox ofr
Date:
7 May 1992
Sir J Coles Mr Burns
Mr Davies, FED Special Advisers
HONG KONG ASSOCIATION COMMITTER LUNCH: 7 MAY
1.
We
Mr Goodlad attended a lunch hosted by the Hong Kong Association Committee on 7 May. I attach the guest list. had to change the date at short notice, which caused a certain amount of grating of teeth by Mr Keswick but he was on his best behaviour at the lunch. The guests generally briefed Mr Goodlad about Hong Kong, rather than cross-examining him on particular areas of policy. The main areas covered were:
2.
-
Relations with China: Why was it so difficult for governments to establish working relationships when business was able to do so? Little would change in China until the present leadership changed. We should hope that this would happen at the Party Congress. With the collapse of the Soviet Union China was more than ever conscious of its status as a super power, of the consequent need to modernise, and therefore of the enormous economic benefits of the relationship with Hong Kong.
The
Governing Hong Kong: We should view Hong Kong as friendly significant country rather than a colony. new Governor should develop his contacts with the Hong Kong Civil Service and not isolate himself in Government House. The ExCo/LegCo relationship needed looking at. The Chinese received better advice from the group of unofficial advisers than the Governor from LegCo.
Hong Kong economy: The importance of the Hong Kong economy and its links with Southern China both for British Commercial interests and as a regional hub for expanding British commercial interests in South East Asia. We should not be shy of promoting British interests nor of celebrating British successes (reference the airport).
There were a number of complimentary references to Governors present and future.
Tut Til
Peter Tibber
PS/Mr Goodlad
7 May 1992