TNAG-0108-FCO40-144-Briefs-for-Members-of-Parliament-visiting-Hong-Kong-1969 — Page 93

LAST

REF

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Our reference:

our reference:

RICEVED IN OSTRY NO.51

APR 1969

HKK 1/10

R&R

BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION IN HONG KONG 7th Floor, Shell House, Queen's Road, Central, HONG KONG Mail Address: P.O. Box No. 528, Hong Kong Cable Address: "Uktrade Hongkong" Telephone: 230176

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3/1/1 (il To Iu Dept to buy all nich visitors?

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(3) How do we endure that they came lous? (4) What arrauermints Wicksong, with HK Eve? Ike East office? H.K. Auron ?

(5) Can

Year Stewart,

Stewart (istin

19 April, 1969.

we do anything at all any way.

You are probably aware that two British Members of Parliament, Mr. D. Jones and Mr. B. Walden, have just completed a 10 days visit to Hong Kong. They came under the sponsorship of the Hong Kong Association, their programme was devised by the Hong Kong Government, and apart from the fact that they called on the Principal Trade Commissioner for a briefing in the latter part of their visit, this office was in no way connected with their tour.

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Nevertheless, because I am concerned with Britain's image here I think I should report that publicity-wise the tour came close to disaster. From the outset Mr. Jones and Mr. Walden made themselves available to the publicity media, and showed themselves willing to express opinions on virtually any questions put to them. Unfortunately, to use Mr. Walden's own words, certain sections of the press represented their remarks "as to make it appear that we were constantly in the process of telling the Government how to rule their own subjects". Certain die-hard colonials in the expatriate population and the textile industry took it into their heads that the M.Ps were here 'to dispense some instant wisdom for the benefit of the people or Government of Hong Kong', and wrote indignant letters to the press. This added fuel to the flame s and a veritable conflagration seemed likely, when Messrs. Jones and Walden wisely decided to cease giving press interviews.

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A well-worded letter from Mr. Walden to the more reliable of the two English language morning newspapers plus a sensible interview by the two visitors on television towards the end of their visit helped to set the record straight and did a little to remove the matter from an emotional to a rational plane. The damage had, however, been done, and I attach a

columnist photocopy of a typical comment by

in this case in the Far Eastern Economic Review.

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I am naturally concerned and in the future obviously wish to avoid similar confrontations which can only be harmful to the British image.

The difficulty is that these visits are organized and paid for by the Hong Kong Colonial Government who can hardly be expected to brief their guests about the pitfalls that can await the unwary here. I do nevertheless feel that such visitors and especially MPs must be briefed and for this reason I write to you.

Firstly, in this

Two points, I suggest, should be borne in mind. confined and introspective atmosphere emotions are always close to the surface and are easily aroused. Secondly the Hong Kong press is, with a few exceptions, not of the highest calibre, opportunities to obtain

1.

Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omis- sions in that information and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms, companies, or individuals mentioned.