TNAG-0281-FCO40-317-Visit-of-the-Chancellor-of-the-Duchy-of-Lancaster-to-Hong-Ko-1970 — Page 15

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Document No. 6

RECORD OF A JOINT MEETING OF THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE TEXTILE ADVISORY BOARD OF HONG KONG HELD IN THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AT 2.45 p.m. ON MONDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER, 1970, ATTENDED BY THE RIGHT HON. GEOFFREY RIPPON, Q C, M P, CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Present:

The Right Hon. Geoffrey Rippon, QC,

M P

Mr. Tickell

Mr. W. Dorward

Mr. L. W. R. Mills

Mr. E. B. Wiggham

Chairman:

The Hon. D. H. Jordan, MBE

TIAB Members:

The Hon. K. S. Lo, JP

Mr. J. Cater, M BE, JP

Mr. M. Curran, JP

Mr. M. C. Lee

Mr. James M. H. Wu, JP

Mr. David T. K. Wong

TEXTAB Members:

The Hon. Sir S. N. Chau, CBE, JP The Hon. S. S. Gordon, CBE, JP

Mr. Y. L. Yang, JP

Mr. H. J. Shen

Mr. Y. C. Wang

Mr. David Z. D. Woo

Secretary:

Mr. R. Porter

The Chairman said he regretted that because of the typhoon a number of members of both Boards had been unable to attend the meeting. In introducing Mr. Rippon to members the chairman said how much it was appreciated that, despite his present heavy commitments, Mr. Rippon had taken the opportunity to visit Hong Kong. He then invited Mr. Rippon to address the Board.

Object of Britain's application to join the EEC

2. Mr. Rippon said that the object of Britain's application to join the European Communities was basically the formation of a stable, economically strong Europe. In the long term, he believed that Britain would gain economically from being a member, and this would stimulate Commonwealth and particularly Hong Kong trade. Hong Kong's exports to the Six were now roughly equal to those to Britain. An enlarged, economically strong EEC would be capable of absorbing substantially more of Hong Kong's production.

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