The Future
a
Despite the decline in mutual support between the Office and the traditional Chinese community, there is no case for reversal of the 1990 policy to disengage from liaison work with this group.
Indeed, we should continue to reduce contacts and use the resources for further networking within higher priority groups, in particular those parts of the non traditional Hong Kong Chinese community which are not yet organised into societies and associations but wish to do so. Recent work in this direction in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool should be continued. The Governor's request to meet a cross selection of these people during his April visit is taken as approval for the continuation of the 1990 policy shift. It should be noted, however, that these groups tend to be less interested in Hong Kong/China affairs, their priority being the social development of a well educated and professional ethnic sub group playing a well recognised role within the British community.
The new direction with
with the emerging Hong Kong Chinese business and professional group should from now on be pursued in the context of our overall public relations effort rather than as an extension of the work of the Community Services Division. At the time of the next phase of Office restructuring, consideration should be given to the formal abolition of the titles of the Community Services Division and Students Division with resources combined under the Public Affairs Division to reflect the nature of the work being carried out.
Hong Kong Government Office
London
March, 1993