香港總督府
2 Д. Даж
SECRET
REPLACEMENT AIRPORT FOR HONGI
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
HONG KONG
11 September 1980
HKK (82/1
REGLIVED ?? REGISTA? NO. K
24 SEP 1990
INDEX
KONG AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG MO
A
PA
£25.9.1 Aw
Aw zola
See
1. You will be receiving by the same bag_a_letter from David Jeaffres on about some proposals that have been made that the replacement airport for Kai Tak should be in China rather than off the north coast of Lantau at Shek Lap Kok. It is an odd and complex issue and we would be very grateful for an objective outside view.
2.
NIR
See were 182/1 © 1982
It is perhaps worth emphasising the rather obvious point that the building of an airport north of the border would be a major gain for the Chinese. It would give a very great boost to the Special Municipality of Shenzhen and tend to shift the whole centre of gravity of the Hong Kong complex northwards. Moreover the Chinese would be getting an international airport for free, and also (though this may not yet have occurred to them on the other hand it may have) the very considerable air traffic bargaining power which now attaches to control of Kai Tak. It is therefore possible that there may be a good deal more behind the rather casual references to it that the Chinese have so far made than might appear on the surface. Similarly we may have a very major bargaining card, though it seems to me that the cost of playing it is fantastically high.
w
3. Jeaffres on mentions the need at some time to hold financial talks with the Chinese. These would of course raise more fundamental issues, and in particular post- 1997 land values since the prospective value of land
—
12A
at Kai Tak in 1990, and indeed Hong Kong's whole future prospects, will be major factors in approaching international markets for a loan with which to finance the new airport.
R D Clift Esq
Hong Kong & General Department
FCO
SECRET
/ However
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.