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more than sufficient ammunition for those in Hong Kong who rail against protectionist barriers in the United Kingdom. Christopher Priston was clearly well aware of the dangers when he wrote his internal minute of 16 April 1980 to Solomon (copy enclosed).
4. I note that Mr Parkinson is recorded as saying that he would talk to the Hong Kong Government on the matter and from the writing on page 1 it appears that the Department of Trade may be about to draft instructions. I wonder whether you could find
the time to look at the papers so that if we are determined to risk a confrontation with Hong Kong, we make sure that we have got our facts straight and that we are acting in our best long term interests. I had hoped that the subject could have been discussed informally during Mr Kenneth Baker's forthcoming visit but paragraph 2 of the Department of Industry's unnumbered Indus telegram of 31 March only confirms my impression that a lot more homework needs to be done in the United Kingdom before any action is taken with the Hong Kong authorities.
Yourever,
fuch.
D M March
Senior Trade Commissioner
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