TNAG-0035-FCO40-71-Relations-with-Macao-1968 — Page 7

RESTRICTED

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31 i

2. MAY 1068

1.6/1/1 (1/1) KRIK/APH

NTF.

FF 2/1

20 May, 1968.

107...

J

Tour Chancery,

110030.

Please refer to your letter of 22 April about a proposed bridge in

2. On 5 May the "Noticias de Macau" reported that the Government had received from Lisbon a draft plan for a bridge between the peninsula of Macao and the island of Taipa, which is also part of the province. The proposed bridge would be 3,100 motros leng, 7.2 motres wide with provision for motor traffic and pedestrians in both directions, and 34 metres high at its highest point. It would havo 104 supports, the central supports boing 73 metres apart, allowing 3 vessels to pass between simaltaneously,

3. The Hong Kong "Star", which is notorious for baseless speculation but sometimes comes up with oddments that later turn out to be true, cnbellished the theme in articles on 26 April and 6 lay to the offoot that the bridge would cost HK315 million, wild that it was the second stage of "an ambitious plan to transform Macao into an Badustrial contre by giving it a deep sea harbour in Coloane

(which is boing linked to Taiga by a causoway, now virtually complete). "Tho bridge will give Macao a Coop soa access for the first time in its history and will permanently solve the problen of the silbing of the Pearl liver." "The importance of Coloane to Macao's csomony is that the doop harbour to be built at Hak Sho will enable the province to bypass Hong Kong." The "Star" went on to say that tenders would soon be called.

#

The Portuguese Vice-Consul here found out from the Macao Government for me that tho project is so for only in its very early stages, and that there was certainly no plan for calling tenders. It has been clear for the past two or three weeks that Hong Kong rowspapers have been the object of a campaign by the Bacao Goverment, presumably ained at rustoring the tourist traffic from here. There may, however, be a cortain amount of concrete improvement in the local situation behind this. Completion of the causezay is one thing, and work: is roported to have begun again on the new casino-hotel complex, which is boon hanging fire since the troubles of December, 1966 January, 1967. One report mentioned next February as a tentative opening date.

2.

In the background are reports that the Chinese have decided to develop Facao with Pertugueso co-operation. The leading public representative of Eainland China in Hacco da reported to have referred to the Governor as "a model Govornor" who has worked

tirelessly for the people of lincao", and a Chinese Vice-Ministor of Foreign Trade was veported to have given assurances about Nocao's future at the opening of the Canton Fair. a sure this raises too many imponderables to be susceptible of useful discussion at ocent.

I an conding copies of this letter to Far Eastern Department, Chancery, Peking, - Export Services Branch (with a draft market pointer for the Bullotin), and to the

Political Adviser's office here.

Chansory, Disbon.

Yours ever,

RECOVER IN

tant

D. Laughton)

· 6 JUN 1968ada Commissioner.

ARGU