CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2075
OF 071025Z AUGUST 92
CONFIDENTIAL
77
107742 MDHIAN 4740
TOP COPY Q DIST?
پال
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD FROM PS/GH.
VISIT BY MR GOODLAD.
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1. MIFT CONTAINS A DRAFT PROGRAMME TAKING, AS YOU SUGGESTED, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AS ITS THEME. IT ALSO TAKES INTO ACCOUNT YOUR DISCUSSION WITH MR GOODLAD BEFORE HE WENT ON HOLIDAY.
2. THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ITEMS ARE:
(A) A MORNING DEVOTED TO THE FIELD OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS. HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING TELECOMMUNICATION HUBS. IT IS AHEAD OF MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UK, IN THE USE OF FIBRE OPTICS AND DIGITALISATION. FROM NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE THE CHEAPEST INTERNATIONAL CALLS OF ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
(B) AS A MORE TRADITIONAL ALTERNATIVE TO (A), THE MINISTER COULD VISIT THE YUEN LONG INDUSTRIAL ESTATE (WHERE HE COULD SEE SUITABLY HIGH-TECH FACTORIES) AND THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL.
(C) TO PROVIDE A LITTLE LIGHT RELIEF BEFORE THE TWO-HOUR SESSION WITH THE GOVERNOR ON CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, WE SUGGEST MR GOODLAD VISITS THE SCIENCE MUSEUM. OPENED IN 1991, THE MUSEUM HAS MANY IMAGINATIVE EXHIBITS WHICH ALLOW VISITORS TO LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE IN A HANDS-ON WAY.
(D) A VISIT TO THE BRITISH COUNCIL FOR A BRIEFING ON WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP LINKS AND AT A RESEARCH LEVEL BETWEEN HONG KONG AND UK AND BETWEEN HIGHER EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY.
(E) A VISIT TO THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
HONG KONG'S THIRD UNIVERSITY AND A SHOWPIECE IN THE REGION.
(F) FOLLOWING (E) MR GOODLAD COULD PAY A SHORT VISIT TO THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY WHICH IS CLOSE THE THE CHINESE
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