TNAG-0459-FCO40-524-Visit-of-London-Chamber-of-Commerce-Trade-Mission-to-Hong-Ko-1974 — Page 12

(17260) Dd.897459 400m 12/72 G.W.B.Ltd. Gp.863 (16940) Dd.897300 400m 9/72 G.W.B.Ltd. Gp.863

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry

No. HK 6/548/

DRAFT

LETTER

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top-Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

To:-

Sir C M MacLehose KCMG MBE HONG KONG

Type 1 +

FROM

Sir D Watson

Telephone No. Ext.

Restricted,

Errclassified.

PERSONAL

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

Department

1

You will remember that we discussed with you in

September the question of Britain's image in Hong

Kong.

His is still causing

There is

considerable intorest amongst influential businessmen,

MPs and others that the United Kingdom receives such a

bad press in one of her dependent territories.

Visitors to Hong Kong (a recent example being

Sir P Reilly) continue to come back with suggestions

This

that Aston's outfit should be strengthened and

encouraged to act for Britain in a more directly

propagandist way.

2.

As you know we have always reacted to this

cautiously. Those of us who are used to the Colonial

relationship are perhaps anyway less surprised than

others at signs of unwillingness in Hong Kong to

anting stealing believe in Britain's benevolence and beneficence.

also a

VAR

important believe it of dandinsl

We

mportance

that the Trade Commissioner should not appear to get

into an adversary relationship with you.

3. Maybe with more staff, Aston could do more

present a favourable image of Britain in uncontentious

J

/issues.