TNAG-0589-FCO40-722-Private-visits-of-leading-personalities-from-Hong-Kong-to-UK-1976 — Page 91

CONFIDENTIAL & PERSONAL

And

Hong Kong enjoys and which is essential to its export trade. as the economy grows both in size and sophistication, Hong Kong will have evident need for a higher level of public expenditure in

order, for instance, to support greater educational provision

necessary to produce a more highly trained and skilled labour force.

8. In passing, the PUS might compliment Sir Y K Kan on the helpful role we know he has been playing in the Governor's plans to widen the social basis of the Legislative Council.

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The PUS might also care to express concern about what we believe to be an unacceptably high level of anti-British sentiment in

Hong Kong. He might say that a great deal of effort is put into the task of correcting misconceptions about the Colony in

influential circles here, in which the Governor plays a notable part.

However, much of the good work can be undone if, as seems unfortunately to be the case recently, prominent and influential British visitors to Hong Kong are exposed to ill-informed and even

hostile comment about Britain. Anti-British sentiment could be

corrosive of the link between Hong Kong and Britain on which the

existence of the Colony depends. The Colonial Secretary recently made a forthright and courageous speech on this matter and we hope Unofficials will support the Hong Kong Government's efforts to promote better understanding.

10. Sir Y K Kan may, in his reply, refer to the harmful effects of Mr Hooley's two Parliamentary Questions inquiring into the financial interests of Unofficials in organised prostitution and gambling. The story is told in Hong Kong telegrams nos. 159 and 160; in our telegrams nos. 110 and 118 and my letter of 16 February to Mr Higginson. The PUS might like to draw on these as necessary, particularly the formula in paragraph 2 of our telegram no. 118 which was, in fact, used when the matter was aired in the Legislative Council.

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CONFIDENTIAL & PERSONAL