TNAG-0938-FCO40-1157-Visit-of-John-Nott--Secretary-of-State-for-Trade--to-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 152

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RECEIVED

22 APR 1980

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FM BTC HONG KONG 160815Z APRIL 1988

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TELEGRAM NUMBER CREDA 97 OF 16 APRIL INFO FCO

FOR PRISTON CRE4/2

TEXTILE MISSION

O DISTRIBUTION

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WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DORWARD, DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, ABOUT THE POSSIBLE UK TEXTILE FABRICS MISSION TO HONG KONG LED BY THE MINISTER FOR TRADE. IT RELATES HOW THE SUBJECT WAS BROACHED AT HIS MEETING WITH THE MINISTER. WE HAVE TOLD HIM WE WERE AWARE OF THE PROPOSAL BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN ASKED TO IDENTIFY THE BUYING SEASONS (YOUR CREDA 48).

2. IN SUGGESTING A VISIT DURING THE PARLIAMENTARY SUMMER RECESS, DORWARD WAS AWARE THAT IT WOULD NOT COINCIDE WITH THE BUYING SEASON. HE HAD NOT HOWEVER ENVISAGED A MISSION TO TAKE ORDERS BUT ONE TO WEIGH UP THE HONG KONG FABRIC MARKET TO CONSIDER

WHETHER TO COMMIT RESOURCES FOR ITS SUBSEQUENT EXPLOITATION AND TO GIVE STIMULUS TO UK FABRIC EXPORTS ALREADY REACHING THE MARKET. HE ENVISAGED ALSO THE POLITICAL BENEFITS THAT MIGHT ACCRUE FROM SUCH A HIGH POWERED INVESTIGATIVE MISSION AIMED AT BALANCING TRADE BY POSITIVE MEANS. ADDITIONALLY HE THOUGHT WE MIGHT WISH TO CONSIDER SENDING A MISSION BEFORE A SIMILAR MISSION BEING PLANNED BY THE AMERICANS FOR SEPTEMBER OR NOVEMBER.

3. THIS PRESENTS A DIFFERENT VIEW TO THE ONE WE INFERRED FROM YOUR CREDA 48 WITH ITS REFERENCE TO A SELLING MISSION AND BUYING SEASONS. IF WE ARE TO AVOID TALKING AT CROSS

WE PURPOSES WITH DORWARD AND OTHERS (SEE PARAGRAPH 4), URGENTLY REQUIRE THE FULL BACKGROUND WHICH IS PRESUMABLY CONTAINED IN THE PROMISED BUT STILL AWAITED NOTES OF THE DORWARD MEETING WITH THE MINISTER FOR TRADE (OUR CREDA 90).

4. YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT MCGREGOR OF THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS PLEDGED THE CHAMBER'S SUPPORT FOR THE MISSION AND ASKED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. DAVID NEWBIGGING, THE CHAMBER'S NEWLY-ELECTED CHAIRMAN, WAS TOLD OF IT BY JEREMY BROWN WHO PRESUMABLY LEARNED OF IT AT THE 10 APRIL MEETING OF THE HK TAG.

5. MARCH LEAVES FOR HOUSTON TONIGHT VIA LONDON AND IS NOT

DUE BACK UNTIL 26 APRIL AT THE EARLIEST. HE WILL BE WITH MANZIE,

DOI ON FRIDAY 18 APRIL IF YOU WISH TO CONTACT HIM ON THIS

SUBJECT.

MARCH

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