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Pa Rels with Parl
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M Mam's
Miss Sand 16/4
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Ms Mooge - topa.
Mr Picketts, HKD
Picketts,
2014
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APR 1313
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INDEX
FROM:
DATE!
PA Hum
April
REGISTRY
Action Taken
cc: PS/Mr Goodlad
PS/Governor
Sir J Coles Mr Davies, FED
16/4
HONG KONG: DR JEREMY BRAY
1.
As agreed Dr Jeremy Bray MP called on me for a briefing this afternoon in advance of his visit to Hong Kong on 16-26 April.
2. Most of our conversation covered familiar ground. I should however record two points, which Dr Bray is likely to raise when he calls on the Governor in Hong Kong.
It
3. The first point related to science and technology exchanges between Hong Kong and China. Dr Bray said he believed it was important to expand the scope of exchanges between Hong Kong and China beyond governmental exchanges on the one hand and commercial, private-sector exchanges on the other hand. An area with a lot of untapped potential was science and technology. would be an important political gesture if the Hong Kong Government could make far ranging proposals for collaboration between universities and research facilities in Hong Kong and those on the mainland (in particular in Peking, to avoid the suggestion of intra-regional cooperation within Southern China at the expense of the North). I pointed out to Dr Bray that work was being done in this area by private institutions such as the Croucher Foundation and the foundation established by Y K Pao. There must also be considerable collaboration within the private sector. He acknowledged this, but pointed to the particular political dividends to be gained from a Hong Kong Government initiative. This might aim to bring together practitioners in the pure sciences on the mainland together with the facilities in such Hong Kong institutions as the University of Science and Technology.
4. Dr Bray's second point related to history. He asked if we had ever considered some form of statement expressing regret for the Opium Wars or describing them as a shameful episode in Britain's history. Such a statement would make a strong impact in China. It need not be made in a formal context, on behalf of HMG. Perhaps the Governor could speak on these lines on his own
initiative.
5. I said that we were not in the habit of apologising for our colonial history. I doubted whether Ministers or the Governor
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