TNAG-0097-FCO40-133-Construction-of-a-Cross-Harbour-Tunnel-1968 — Page 180

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order. But the battle of sustaining public

confidence requires that the outside world, and

Britain in particular, should demonstrate support

for Hong Kong and show confidence in their ability to

withstand these pressures. The Hong Kong Government

are concerned that indefinite postponement of the

tunnel project would be interpreted in Hong Kong

as an indication of the outside world's lack of

confidence in the Colony's future. It is not

known whether, if Costains had to withdraw, one

of the other tendering firms would still wish to

proceed but even if the project were to be saved

damage to confidence occasioned by the withholding

of British financial support would remain and a major

and probably prestigious engineering contract would almost certainly be lost to Butain.

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