TNAG-1163-FCO40-1443-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 13

CODE 18-77

Mr Williamson

liamson 19.5

Mr McQuade E

Mr Clift

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Letter to loove

Reference

HKR 02616

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REGISTR, AC

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See 13

MY FAMILIARISATION VISIT TO HONG KONG : 18 APRIL TO 1 MAY 1982

1. I am most grateful for having had the opportunity to make this visit. So much had changed since I was last in Hong Kong (4 years ago) and the New Territories (7 years ago).

It was particularly useful for:

attached.

a)

b)

c)

d)

seeing and hearing how things work in Hong Kong especially at Government level;

meeting many of the officials with whom I have been or will be in correspondence;

getting a 'feel' for the things that worry people eg, the future, refugees, nationality etc; and

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trying to put across to younger Government officials where Hong Kong fits in at the London end and how the work of our department relates to their work.

A copy of my programme, coordinated by Peter Webb, is attached. I could not have fitted in much more. Everything

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I suggested was included except for Special Branch - where I had a personal contact whom I saw anyway and a visit to Shenzhen. In retrospect I could perhaps have had half a day on social welfare and some contact with university students.

3. I was particularly appreciative of several high level briefings, notably from Donald Liao, David Akers-Jones, Bim Davies, Peter Moor and enjoyed a long chat with Mr Hilton Cheong-Leen at Governor-less QBP. I saw a good deal of Messrs McLaren, Margolis and Webb, and had a useful sessions with James So at GH and Richard Hoare. Two separate meetings were arranged with young officials (and journalists), one by Home Affairs and the other by Civil Service Branch. High spots were the days with the Police, the New Territories, City Administration, Refugees with Security Branch and a visit to Castle Peak Power Station.

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4.

Many conversations came round to the subject of the future, but this was inevitable with the imminent change of Governor and the Falklands crisis. Very few people saw parallels between the latter and Hong Kong. I thought officials seemed far more anxious than businessmen and bankers some of whom, old friends, I sounded out privately. In fact, no one in the business sector that I met seemed bothered. Jardine's MD for China (Desmond Wigan, ex FCO) said that Jardine's investment in Hong Kong had never been higher and showed no sign of falling. I attended a lively 'closed' meeting of the Williamsbury Group diplomatic, press and business people

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