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Similarly I have recently had to try and defend H.M.G.'s refusal to grant a loan to Hong Kong for the extension of Kai Tak airport, although I have no recent information on my files about the reason for this attitude. I picked up a few talking points from Bill Rodgers when he passed through Hong Kong a few weeks ago, but I have had nothing in writing.
I realise that briefing on most of the questions likely to arise must necessarily be from the Board of Trade and I am, of course, in constant touch with John Gowers on many questions. I wonder, however, whether there might not be some mechanism in the F.C.O., on which we are dependant in the final analysis, which would ensure that we would be fully and speedily briefed on any subject which is, or is likely to become, a point of dispute between the two Governments or between the business community of Hong Kong and H.M.G. (which is usually the same thing).
I am assuming that this general defence of H.M.G.'s policies is within my terms of reference and that this is one of the purposes for which I have been given an Information Officer. If, in fact, however, the F.C.0.'s purpose in having this post is purely and simply for the promotion of British exports, I should be quite happy to stick to my last.
I am sorry to devote a large part of my first letter to a complaint but I am sure you will agree that to do my job properly this is quite an important point of organisation.
On the commercial front things seem to be moving fairly smoothly. The first sod for the Cross Harbour Tunnel project was duly turned by the Governor on 1 September and it is expected to be terminated within the three years stipulated. We are at present in correspondence with the Board of Trade, the B.N.E.C. and Sam Black at the London Chamber of Commerce about a British manifestation of some kind to coincide with the opening of the Tunnel.
I have discussed this also with Jeffrey Hamm, who recently led a Chamber of Commerce Mission to Hong Kong, and we have agreed in principle to a three pronged attack on this market on the engineering front. This would consist of a visit by a qualified engineer to vet the market (I am personally in favour of having an engineer, here more or less permanently who would be seconded from industry to the F.C.0. and although based on Hong Kong, he could perhaps cover the whole of S.E.Asia), an Engineering Symposium next autumn to arouse local interest and finally a big British Engineering Exhibition
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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.
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