HWB. 7/5.
CONFIDENTIAL
Curtis Green,
5 September, 1967.
10
The Hong Kong Government are looking into possible alternative supply sources for their food requirements in the event that China, as a result of a deliberate decision or of a further deterioration in her internal political situation, should fail to maintain her traditional supplies to the Colony.
2.
China supplies a large proportion of Hong Kong's meat. It is mostly fresh and only small amounts of canned meat are consumed at present. But considerations of availability, transport and storage might well require that emergency meat supplies be tinned, and the Hong Kong authorities are presently gathering figures on canned meat stocks in the Colony and likely emergency requirements.
3.
I believe that you maintain tinned meat stocks and that it might be possible for Hong Kong to be assisted therefrom in an emergency. In pursuit of this possibility may I put the following questions:-
4.
(a) what types of tinned meat could be supplied to the Hong Kong
Government and in what quantities?
(b) how much notice would be necessary before stocks could be
released?
(c) is it possible to indicate a price?
(d) would meat from the stockpile be able to withstand the long,
and often hot, sea passage to Hong Kong or would special shipping arrangements have to be made?
Hong Kong do not need assistance at present and it is to be hoped that they never will. Nonetheless, the situation is such as to require prudent precautions to be taken and I should therefore be most grateful for your advice on these points and for any other observations that you may have.
W.E. Crump Esq.,
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,
Great Westminster House,
Horseferry Road,
London, S.W.1.
(W.S. Carter)
CONTIDENTIAL
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