TNAG-0420-FCO40-466-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 130

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CONFIDENTIAL

Sir D Watson Kocson доуче

PS Mr Boyle

PACIEN

31 JUL 1975

Minister

Thin

wat be

72

HKK21/2 a matter of Political

1.

Privat Secretary (for information)

Judgement for the

1.7.1.

HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPINE

Mi Cuest

A.R.

Flags A & B 1. Hong Kong telegram No 759 crossed my telegram No 682

Then

Flag C

z frid. Watson

2.

M. Sinext

423/7

ч

£7 T

1917.

which I referred to in my submission of 12 July.

2. The situation now is that Y K Pao has told the Governor

that he would be able to put 3 million tons of his ships on a

These would have British Hong Kong register within 5 years.

Masters. He has, however, gone along with the other Hong Kong

owners who said that they were not prepared to accept the

other manning restriction proposed by the DTI, under which the

second in command of ships on the register would have to be

British or bona fide Hong Kong residents, holding the requisite

British or equivalent Commonwealth certificate by examination.

3. There is therefore a discrepancy between the Governor's

report of his conversation with Mr Y K Pao, and our telegram

No 682, which records a conversation between Mr Archer, Under

Secretary at the DTI, and Mr Lee, Mr Y K Fao's UK director.

The difference in the available tonnage is probably because,

although Mr Y K Pao may have 4 million tons of ships with UK

Masters, he is not likely, for reasons of flexibility, to

want to put them all on the Hong Kong register; hence the offer

of 3 million tons.

4.

The discrepancy on manning requirements is more significant.

If Mr Lee's account to Mr Archer is right then the 4 million

CONFIDENTIAL

/tons