TNAG-0422-FCO40-468-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 136

Telephone: 265-5511

COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE

BRITISH EMBASSY

COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

No. I Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

8 February 1973

(22)

12/2

TW Aston Esq CMG

Senior British Trade Commissioner

British Trade Commission

Hong Kong

1. Goodfel

PA

MASS TRANSIT SCHEME

1. In your letter to Cotterill of 11 January you asked us for any comments on the summary of an article from "The Japanese Economic News Review" which appeared in a local Chinese newspaper.

We have had some difficulty in tracing the source of this article since there is no Japanese publication with that title. It appears almost certain, however, that the summary which you sent us is based on an article which appeared in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Japon Economic Journal) of 9 December.

2. The summary is fairly accurate, but in certain specifics

The following points it differs from the original article. may be of interest in giving a clear indication of the Lone of the original:

i.

In paragraph 1 of the summary it is stated that "as Hong Kong is under British rule, it will for certain put the British consortium in a more advantageous position". No such phra: e is, however, used in the original. The fact that Hong Kong is under British rule is alluded to but the inference is left to the reader.

ii. While the advantageous position of Hutchison

International is described, the Japanese group are reported to have the advantage of having Mr Jardine Matheson acting on their behalf. Keswick's position as both Chairman of Jardine Matheson and the Sino-British Trade Council is said to be a source of strength for the Japanese consortium.

iii.

The original article is rather more specific than the summary in describing the sources of

/finance

COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE

Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions in that information and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any ùrms, companies or individuāls mentioned.

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