XN000022-1978-03-08 — Page 12

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This time I am in Hong Kong not as a soldier, although I spent a

most interesting day with the armed forces in the New Territories yesterday,

but as Vice-Chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board. My visit comes

at a time when, I am glad to say, there are real signs of a strengthening of

the trade links between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. Last summer I had the

pleasure of addressing the Hong Kong Association in London at the Dragon Boat

dinner and I was able to remark then on the early indications of that trend.

It is therefore encouraging to see that it has been maintained and that in

1977 we recorded a substantial rise in our exports to Hong Kong and increased

our share of the market even though the visible trade imbalance remains

heavily in Hong Kong's favour.

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My Board has naturally a keen interest in seeing a general increase

in business between Britain and Hong Kong and it makes use of various means

to try and promote this. By far the largest promotional effort this year

and of course and chief reason for my coming to Hong Kong is the British

And I must say, Industrial Exhibition which I opened on Monday morning.

the risk of seeming immodest, that it is a pretty impressive display. There

is a very wide range of the most up to date industrial machinery and technology

available from Britain and I am delighted to hear that the interest and support

we have had from Hong Kong businessmen has been tremendous.

Because this is really much more than just an exhibition. It is a

working demonstration of the capabilities of British industry, which produces

so many of the products that Hong Kong needs in its programme of expansion.

More than that, it is I think an expression of the strength of the links

between Hong Kong and Britain. Indeed, such was the enthusiasm and interest

shown by companies in the United Kingdom that if space had been available we

should have had no difficulty in filling an exhibition half as large again.

There were many would-be exhibitors who were disappointed, but I am sure they

are sufficiently interested in Hong Kong to make their own approacli here.

I have quite