TNAG-0938-FCO40-1157-Visit-of-John-Nott--Secretary-of-State-for-Trade--to-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 141

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER IN LONDON, AND MR MCKELLAR OF THE HKTDC, TODAY MET THE MFT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE 'MISSION BEFORE MFT MEETS THE INDUSTRIALISTS WHO WILL FORM THE TEAM ON MONDAY 14 JULY. THEY WERE UNIFORMLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT WHAT THEY CONSI TO BE THE FIRST INITIATIVE OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG AND COMMITTED

THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANISATIONS TO GIVE HMG IN LONDON AND THE SBTC

IN HONG KONG ANY ASSISTANCE AND CO-OPERATION THAT WAS REQUIRED. THEY

FEEL AS DO THE INDUSTRIALISTS WHO WILL ACCOMPANY MFT THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS, PRESTIGE AND IMAGE OF THE MISSION WILL BE AN IMPORTANT DECIDING FACTOR IN ITS SUCCESS. THEY HAVE THEREFORE AGREED THAT IN

SPITE OF VARIOUS DIFFICULTIES THEY SHOULD ALL TRAVEL OUT TOGETHER AND SHOULD ALSO TRAVEL OUT ON 30 AUGUST INSTEAD OF 31 AUGUST, SO THAT THEY HAVE TIME TO OVERCOME JET LAG BEFORE THE WEEK'S PROGRAMME

BEGINS. THEY ALSO FEEL THAT THE WHOLE TEAM SHOULD STAY AT THE HOTEL WHERE THE INDUSTRIALISTS WOULD NORMALLY STAY, NAMELY THE MANDARIN, COULD YOU NOW MAKE THE BOOKINGS PLEASE. THIS IS ALSO RELEVANT TO

THE IDEAS IN PARA 6 BELOW. ON PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES DURING THE

VISIT. I WILL WRITE TO YOU NEXT TUESDAY ABOUT THE SHARING OF COSTS.

5. YOUR DRAFT PROGRAMME WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE HKTAG MEMBERS AND WITH THE INDUSTRIALISTS ON THE TELEPHONE, PREPARATORY TO THEIR MEETING WITH MFT NEXT MONDAY. THEY ALL FELT THAT SOME DISPLAYS OF

BRITISH FABRICS IN VARIOUS SETTINGS WERE AS ESSENTIAL AS STRONG MEDIA COVERAGE. TIME IS SHORT BUT INITIAL SOUDINGS SHOWED THAT ALL THE FOUR COMPANIES SO FAR COMMITTED TO TAKE PART ALREADY HAVE FABRICS AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG WITH NEW SEASONS DESIGNS WHICH COULD BE USED IN DISPLAYS AT VERY SHORT NOTICE. THEY ALSO HAVE LOCAL AGENTS AND DISPLAY DESIGNERS WHO COULD GIVE THE NECESSARY ASSIS-

TANCE IN PUTTING DISPLAYS OF EXCELLENT QUALITY TOGETHER AT SHORT NOTICE. I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS AFTER THE MONDAY MEETING,

6. THE CURRENT IDEAS ARE THAT:

(1) SEVERAL CONCESSION SHOPS IN THE HOTEL WHERE THE TEAM WOULD BE

STAYING WOULD PUT ON A QUOTE BRITISH FABRIC WEEK UNQUOTE DISPLAY FREE OF CHARGE, IF THEY WERE TO RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF A VISIT

FROM THE MINISTER AND ITS ATTENDANT PUBLICITY.

(2) TEXTILES COULD BE DISPLAYED IN THE ROOM WHICH THE MAIN RECEPTION

OF THE VISIT WAS TO BE HELD.

(3) A WINDOW DISPLAY OF BRITISH FABRICS MIGHT BE MOUNTED IN A

DEPARTMENT STORE WHICH WOULD BE SEEN BY MANY HONG KONGERS. THE

GENERAL AND UNANIMOUS VIEW WAS, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH A DISPLAY WOULD BE BEST MOUNTED IN THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

BUILDING, WHERE THEY HAVE PROMISED TO GIVE IT VERY GOOD