GONFIDENTIAL
Government and the Hong Kong business community
major unresolved isome
is one central matter of dispute.
Can
That is the
QARY
extent to which Hong Kong could be allowed to
conduct its own external commercial relations.
This matter comes to a head of course when the
commercial interests of this country and Hong
For the shorous staan tune Kong do not coincide, and we have (at least in
Λ
textiles importers and they exporters, occasions
of difference are becoming evermore frequent
In the simplest terms Hong Kong think that they
Coniaciut should be allowed to decide their own, fate and
to speak their minan negotiations with third bodies parties and in the various international fore
worth traded
e.g. in the field of textiles policy where Hong Kong's interests as major exporters cire very different-
concerned with complete freedom, This is indeed a
difficult question and I cannot see that it is
likely to be resolved at all quickly. But when
the Governor was here recently, it was discussed with
him at a meeting chaired by Sir Leslie Monson at
which representatives of the Board of Trade and
Ministry of Technology were present. I enclose a
copy of the record of that meeting. The eventual
When it is finally agreed status of this paper is uncertain and of course
NOT
you are free to use it: the Governor himself will
Give it
^
not be able to do with his unofficials. But it
might be useful for you to know how far things
om
fr. importers.
ours as mayor
have gone.
3.
allumah
One other matter is worth mentioning at
ве the Hong Kong end am sure you arelbetter
тая
informed what is going on about it than we are.
You will know that Hong Kong applied for a C.D. and
W. grant to improve the telecommunications
CONFIDENTIAL
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