TNAG-0610-FCO40-758-Hong-Kong-annual-review-for-1976-1977 — Page 49

Mr Murray

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PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

HONG KONG ANNUAL REVIEW 1976

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1976

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The Governor of Hong Kong has sent us his Annual Review for

and a calendar of events.

The content of this review, as of that for 1975, is unexceptional

Of and adds little to the Department's knowledge or understanding of the events of last year. The dispatch is nonetheless interesting since it provides in an encapsulated form a history of 1976 in Hong Kong as seen through the Governor's eyes. It is perhaps disappointing that the Governor seems to exhibit some slight complacency over what has been planned and done and his dispatch does not reflect

the sense of urgency over labour and social matters which we have tried to impart to the Hong Kong Government. However, the facts

The

must speak for themselves and it is undoubted that the Hong Kong Government have embarked on an extensive programme of reforms. line the Governor takes is, broadly speaking, that which has been used publicly by Ministers and UK and Hong Kong officials since agreement was reached on the Planning Paper. It can be broadly summarized thus: within the framework imposed by the economic restraints arising from the recession of 1974/5 and by the continuing political constraints, the Hong Kong Government is doing everything possible to improve the quality of life enjoyed by its people; of

course there are blemishes but plans exist for their early eradication;

meanwhile, the UK and Hong Kong Government are in agreement with regard both to the speed and the direction of the progress needed.

3. Much of this is fair enough but there is in my view more scope for progress in Hong Kong than the Governor allows in his dispatch. First, he is inclined, I think, to make the most of the Chinese

"dimension" as a limitation on what can be achieved. Second, he tends, on the evidence of his dispatch not to give sufficient weight to the problems that remain to be dealt with, e.g. the drug problem,

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