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FOREWORD
The British Chamber
of Commerce
in Hong Kong
香港英商會
When China takes sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, British business here will find itself operating in a foreign environment and in need of a sponsor or champion to protect and promote its interests. This role will need to be shared by the new British Consulate General and the British Chamber of Commerce. It seems appropriate that a large proportion of this burden should be shouldered by the Chamber for two reasons. First, HMG's interests in relation to Hong Kong and China are not necessarily always identical to those of British business. Secondly, Hong Kong is, possibly more than any other in the world, a city oriented to the private
sector.
The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong has five years in which to prepare for this challenge.
To determine how to go about this, on 30 July 1991 the Chamber's General Committee decided to set up a Strategy Committee and invited myself to chair it. Other members appointed were Mark Aitken (of British American Tobacco), Paul Cullington (of KPMG), Peter Heap (then Senior British Trade Commissioner) and Bob Wallace (of Gammon and the Chamber's 1991- 92 Chairman). Subsequently Mark Aitken resigned and was replaced by Bruce Tremayne of Shell and Peter Heap left Hong Kong to become HM Ambassador to Brazil.
Our draft plan was reviewed by the Chamber's General Committee on 22nd June. The plan that follows has been modified to reflect what we agreed during that discussion. The next step is to convert the "key thrusts" and other proposals in the plan which are in general broadly framed - into detailed action plans so that implemention may proceed.
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Our plan is deliberately brief but the product of much time, thought, energy and good humour willingly contributed by all members of the committee and by Barrie McWhirter, the Chamber's ubiquitous Executive Director. My sincere thanks to all of them.
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William Courtauld
21 August 1992 Hong Kong
1712 Shui Ou Centre, 8 Harinir Romi, Hong Kong, Telephone: 824 2211 facsimile: 824 1:33 Telex: 82759 BRIT IIX
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