機密
CONFIDENTIAL #2
50
11.4
As regards Government organisation and
efficiency, Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea probably belong to the same category. Singaporeans and Koreans were also businesslike and efficient, and serious in their working attitude. The Koreans were relatively less well organised. (It should be remembered that this observation is based on a limited sector of people we met who were mainly involved in labour and social welfare matters).
11.5
As is well known, Hong Kong and Singapore are similar in many ways. But Korea also strikes us
as having some similarities. All three have practically no natural resources and their economies are heavily dependent upon exports of manufactures. This is significant in that all three are competing in roughly the same lines for survival. With the advantage of more space, Korea probably has a greater potential and has been maintaining a growth rate of about 13% over the past few years. On the other hand it is living under constant threat from the North, and spends about 40% of the national budget on defence. Malaysia is another country which also strikes us as having great potential despite its racial problem. It has abundant natural resources (tin, rubber, spices, timber etc.), about two-thirds of which are still unused, but Malaysia is not competing with Hong Kong in the same field.
/XII.
•
CONFIDENTIAL ##
機密
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.