TNAG-0306-FCO40-342-Equipment-for-technical-institutes-in-Hong-Kong-provision-of-1971 — Page 183

considerations are involved, trade promotion is a

legitimate if subsidiary objective of our aid policy

and that aid provided with trade promotion as an

objective should come from the ODA rather than the

DTI. I understand that the DTI strongly support the

proposal to make a grant under the aid programme.

5. Your other main objection was that you could

only find money for Hong Kong at the expense of somebody

else. I am not sure however that we have explained

the proposal to you in sufficient detail. The position

is that the Japanese are providing equipment for the Holytechnic.

offer to Our proposal is that we should/provide equipment for

four technical institutes which have not yet been

built.

We want to encourage the Hong Kong Government

to go ahead with these technical institutes which, as

the DTI have said, will not only provide enhanced

Yourh

These

opportunities for Hong Kong's 100- to acquire tech-

nical education, but also contribute to Hong Kong's

efforts to diversify her industry and to achieve a

higher level of technological sophistication.

efforts are crucial if Hong Kong is to sustain ito hep

rate of economic growth in the face of serious and

growing competition from, in particular, Taiwan,

South Korea and Singapore, in her overseas markets.

I need hardly add that if Hong Kong were to run into

serious difficulties we would have to find perhaps a

considerable sum of money to support the Colony.

6.

What I am suggesting is that we should help

Hong Kong to help herself and in the process help

The £400,000 would clearly not all be

ourselves.

needed immediatay.

With agreement in principle to

provide the full sum I should be very supri sed if

more than about £100,000 would be required this year.

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