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MDL N 9242 #
KONG BUSINESS SITUATION INTO BETTER PERSPECTIVE. MR PURVES OF THE HONGKONG BANK IS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US.
13. MUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN HONG KONG ABOUT ALLEGED FAVOURITISM TO BRITISH COMPANIES. IT IS NONSENSE BUT THE SMEARS ARE WIDELY BELIEVED AND HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE CHINESE, AMERICANS AND GERMANS. IT HAS HAD A SERIOUS EFFECT ON TRADITIONAL CUSTOMERS SUCH AS CLP WHO NOW FEEL THE NEED TO JUSTIFY PUBLICLY THEIR PURCHASING POLICIES. THE PROBLEM IS IN PART OF OUR MAKING, A FALL-OUT FORM THE 'HIGH PROFILE POLICY: I THINK IT IS NOW ACCEPTED THAT HMG SHOULD HAVE A LOW PROFILE IN HONG KONG WHERE TRADE PROMOTION IS CONCERNED (TAKING A LEAF FORM THE JAPANESE WHO WORK FOR CONTRACTS NOT HEADLINES). THE PR IS NEEDED AT HOME IN THE UK.
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THERE IS IN THE MEDIUM TERM, A CASE FOR A MORE ACTIVE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION WITH HONG KONG AND WE SHOULD DIRECT ANY SUCH POLICY. HONG KONG BUSINESS IS WAKING UP TO THE ATTRACTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET, AS IT BECOMES MORE SOPHISTICATED IN ITS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND AS THE WEIGHT OF CHINA INVESTMENT MAKES A COUNTER-BALANCE NECESSARY. CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND THE US HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTING PARTNERS PROTCETIONIST AND DEPRESSED. BRITAIN IS THE NATURAL HOME FOR MORE HONG KING INVESTMENT AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THIS.
THE BRITISH COUNCIL
15. THERE IS A MAJOR ROLE FOR THE COUNCIL, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE BTC AND BUSINESS LEADERS. THE STANDARD OF HONG KONG ENGLISH, FOR EXAMPLE, IS POOR AND DECLINING. THE EASY ASSUMPTION THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW ENGLISH HAS BEEN PROVED FALSE AND THE EFFORT TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE IS ONLY CRANKING UP, WITH THE COUNCIL IN THE LEAD. SOME BUSINESS LEADERS NOW RECRUIT SECRETARIES IN CHINA BECAUSE THEIR ENGLISH HAS BEEN BETTER TAUGHT.
16.
AS FOR CHINA, THERE IS A RANGE OF ACTIVITY IN WHICH THE COUNCIL CAN PLAY A ROLE IN IMPROVING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND ENCOURAGING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL NORMS. OVER THE LONGER TERM THIS COULD BE THE STRONGEST FOUNDATION FOR THE ECONOMIC STABILITY OF THE SAR, BY ACHIEVING COMPARABLE TECHNICAL LEVELS WITHIN THE PARENT COUNTRY. THOSE INVOLVED IN THESE HONG KONG-CHINA EXCHANGES BELIEVE THAT TO BE A REASONABLE GOAL.
17. THERE IS ALSO SCOPE FOR PACKAGED DEALS FOR ELT IN HONG KONG ITSELF (A PROPOSAL I PUT YESTERDAY TO CATHAY PACIFIC FOR WHOM
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