TNAG-1054-FCO40-1304-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1981 — Page 155

British Trade Commission in Hong Kong Sementara

Samaritemdenomiomat

Mail Address GPO Box No 528 Hong Kong

Telex HX 73031 Cable Address Uktrade Hong Kong Telephone 5-230176

9th Floor Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Hong Kong

Richard Hobbs Esq CRE 4/2

Department of Trade 1 Victoria Street LONDON SW1

PAKIC 121/10

KALNIFER A KESISTRY NO. 51

13 AFFINO

Herkomsi

Unscarte 10/11

04 24

Your reference

CRE 58622

PA

Our reference

ECO 126/3

Date

7 April 1981

11)

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

Action Taken

Feen Richard,

AW 13

BRITISH ELECTRICAL AND ALLIED MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (BEAMA)

NIR

Thank you for your letter of 12 March. I have avoided heading this reply 'electronics' for clearly the BEAMA initiative, while commendably welcome, no longer relates to the objective which we identified last November as worthy of promotional attention.

2. To deal first with EIEMA, the building market in Hong Kong continues to boom. The decision to proceed with the island extension to the Mass Transit Railway and the Corporation's plan to negotiate with private developers for the building of commercial complexes above the underground stations is only a recent significant reminder of the importance of the market. Public and private sector expenditure on building and construction are recast to grow by 8% and 5% during 1981. I therefore agree that there is ample scope for the supply and installation of electrical equipment in buildings and support any promotional proposal by the Electrical Installation Equipment Manufacturers Association (EÏEMA). Seminars

are fine for educating audiences to developments in an industry but they need to be followed up energetically by hardware suppliers. I was pleased to note therefore that Mr Edwards, BEAMA's Chief Executive, was satisfied that the successful seminar in Singapore was "fully backed up by the activity of member companies".

3. The aims of the Group of Associations of Manufacturers of British Instrumentation, Control and Automation (GAMBICA) appear to be rather more relevant to at least part of our proposal for the electronics sector. Unfortunately because of other commitments it may take us a little time to assemble a detailed report on the market for instrumentation testing and measurement equipment but if BEAMA were satisfied that the GAMBICA seminar in Singapore was successful in terms of helping manufacturers to penetrate the market still further, I believe that Hong Kong would be equally fertile ground for such a promotional approach. By all means therefore give them the necessary BOTB support.

4. Finally, paragraph 2 of your Creda 108 about the RIC/BREMA's meeting with the Secretary of State for Trade and their call for voluntary restraints makes me wonder whether anyone has developed the proposal in paragraph 3(c) of my letter of 19 November 1980

/and

Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions in that information and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms, companies or individuals mentioned,