SHIP OWNERS ATTITUDE
8 Both the Chamber of Shipping and the Shipowners Federation opposed the proposal in principle. Like the unions they foresaw a lowering of standards. At the same time they were, with reservations, prepared to accept the proposal provided they could take advantage of any new arrangements if they so wished.
POST-STUDY TEAM VISIT DEVELOPMENTS
9 Following the study team's report further negotiations took place at a leisurely pace between the two Governments. However the Department.'s efforts to tighten up the certification requirements as a result of the evidence reported by the team slowed progress as the Hong Kong shipowners did not find the revised proposals attractive. At the same time the enthusiasm of the Hong Kong shipowners, considered largely to be that of Sir Y K Pao with lukewarm support from the two other major Hong Kong Chinese shipowners (the C Y Tung Group and Frank Chao of Wah Kwong), waned as the shipping slump of 1975 and later years forced them to turn to more fundamental questions of survival. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also made it clear that for foreign policy reasons, particularly relationships with China, Hong Kong ships would have to remain under the red ensign and that they could not agree to give Hong Kong total independence in
Marine matters.
THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE PROPOSAL
10
Hong Kong in August 1975 considered that the two Governments, at official level, "agreed to put the question on ice for the time being, with each side reserving the right to revert to it if and when it felt that the chances of resolving the outstanding issues had become more propitious". The Department's reply was to say that it saw little chance of any further progress until there was an increased output of certificated officers.
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