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the business community all largely avoided the subject of
constitutional change. Expectations were high.
3. In private, I had extensive discussions with the Governor
on the content of his speech. You will by now have seen a telegram reflecting our conclusions on the substance of your
minute to OPD(K). But the discussion in Westminster will be no
less important. We will present a game plan covering presentational aspects nearer the time. The Governor's new style has had a tremendous impact at all levels of Hong Kong
society. This seems to have helped shift the public debate against the Chinese on the airport, without him having to engineer this. It is by no means inevitable that this honeymoon will end on 7 October. He has a very substantial
credit balance on which to draw.
4. Because this was a visit where I could make no open
contribution on constitutional matters, I concentrated in
public on Hong Kong's technological base and on ELT possibilities. My programme included a visit to the new and highly impressive Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. I was struck by the interest shown in the idea of a science park for Hong Kong, a project in which British consultants are playing a major role. The British Council are also much involved in a variety of projects to strengthen Hong Kong's technological base and ensure its future competitiveness in the region. I presented computer equipment to a community English language laboratory, the result of British Council co-operation with commercial sponsors.
5. As a result, my public programme was short on major issues. Pending 7 October, public debate is concentrating more on matters such as nationality law and law and order.
Kenneth Clarke's helpful letter to you on applications for British Citizenship for the children of British citizen parents
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