By fax
11 August 1993
John Ashton Esq
Acting Political Adviser HONG KONG
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
London SW1 2AH
De John,
BBC TELEVISION DRAMA SERIAL ON HONG KONG
1.
I attach a copy of a self-explanatory letter written to the PUS by a producer of drama serials at the BBC.
As you will see, the BBC are planning a major television serial on Hong Kong, and would like our assistance. The PUS asked me to take the matter on.
2. Ms Shewell telephoned me today. She confirmed that the writer of the project, Leigh Jackson,, would be in Hong Kong in the first two weeks of September. She asked if I could talk to him before he left, but it turned out that our respective holiday plans would make that impossible: he expects to be in touch later next month.
3.
She also asked about British Government contacts in Hong Kong. I gave her the names and telephone numbers of Bob Peirce and Chris Osborne. It was left that Jackson will contact both in early September, on his arrival in Hong Kong. By the sound of it the project is at a very early stage, and initial discussions are likely to concentrate on the main features of our approach to the handover of sovereignty in 1997. The writer in charge of the project (whose name I did not catch) is a Hong Kong Chinese resident in Hong Kong, who will be supplying the local dimension through his own
contacts.
4. I hope that both Bob and Chris will be able to give Jackson all the necessary briefing. It is obviously in our interests that the producers of the series should have a clear understanding of HMG's policy.
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CO Hum
CW Osborne Esq, BTC HK (by fax) PS/PUS
Mr Morris, HKD
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