TNAG-0530-FCO40-625-Trade-union-relations-in-Hong-Kong-industry-1975 — Page 29

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1

Telephone 01-

Your reference

RE

R

46.51

- 4 DEC1475

HRK 728

C Stewart Esq

Cabinet Office

SW1

Our reference

Date

9 December 1975

139

1.

Dear Stewart

Your letter of 21 November to Miss Lowne in the CI, copied to me, asked for advice on how the Chancellor of the busig of Lancaster should reply to Hr Len Murray's enquiries about thi status of Hong Kong and HMG's capacity to influence the Hong Kong Government's policies in the field of labour relations, trade etc. I suggest he might reply along the following lines.

2.

Constitutionally liong Kong is a Colony and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is responsible to Parliament for the Government there. The Governor, as the lead of the Executive in Hong Kong, is the representabiro of, and responsible to, the Crown. The Crown, es advised by he Secretary of State, possesses certain powers such as the right of disallowance in respect of Hong Kong legislation and the right to legislate for the Colony by Order-in-Council. Inevitably, long Kong has to be governed by consent and the Unofficial Hembers of the Executive and Legislative Councils have an important part in the formulation of such a consensus. Their primary concern is to defend what they conceive to be the interests of the population in Hong Kong. These interests do not of course invariably coincid with those of IMG and there is a limit beyond which the Governor cannot impose policies unacceptable to public opinion there.

3.

The Secretary of State and his official advisern naturally seek to influence the Hong Kong Government's policien over a wide field, including labour relations. However, we have to accept that in matters of trade, on which the livelihood of the Colony is vitally dependent, the llong Kong Government's policio: must take account of the best interests of the local population.

CC

Miss L L Lowne, DOI Mr EWright, DOT

Yours zenanaly

Laurence Duffe

PL O'Keeffe

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.

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P.A.

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