TNAG-0742-FCO40-946-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 164

CONFIDENTIAL

3. WE HAVE SAID THAT WE SEE NO OBJECTION IN PRINCIPLE TO THE

PROPOSED FERRY SERVICE. INDEED, WE SEE CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGES

IN TERMS OF DEMONSTRATING RELAXED RELATIONS WITH CANTON AND

ENSURING THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR PORT OF ENTRY FOR

CHINA'S GROWING TOURIST TRADE. WE ALSO SEE ADVANTAGE IN ANY

FERRY SERVICE BEING OPERATED BY HONG KONG YAUMATI FERRIES, WHO ARE

SOUND MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, RATHER THAN E.G. ONE OF

THE LEFT WING DOMINATED MACAU FERRY OPERATORS WHO HAVE ALSO BEEN

LOOKING FOR SIMILAR OPPORTUNITIES. THERE ARE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

STILL TO BE DEALT WITH, SUCH AS IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ARRANGE-

MENTS. WE ARE NOW LOOKING INTO THEM BUT DO NOT SEE ANY INSUPERABLE

OBSTACLES.

4. MEANWHILE, THE FORMAL POSITION IS THAT NO APPLICATION TO RUN

A NEW FERRY SERVICE HAS YET BEEN RECEIVED. WE ARE SAYING THIS

IN REPLY TO PRESS ENQUIRIES ARISING FROM E.G. AN ARTICLE IN

THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ON 16 JUNE WHICH REPORTED THE

HOVER-FERRY'S VISIT TO CANTON AND SPECULATED THAT IT WAS A TRIAL

RUN FOR A FERRY SERVICE.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD (6)

FED

MARD

TRED

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY MR STRATTON

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

2

CONFIDENTIAL