TNAG-1175-FCO40-1477-Proposed-replacement-airport-for-Hong-Kong-at-Deep-Bay-or-Ch-1982 — Page 148

CIVIL AVIATION INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DIVISION 1

DEPARTMENT OF TRADE

1 VICTORIA STREET

LONDON SW1H OET

Tlephone Direct Line

Switchboard HICK

01-215 01.2から

5123

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 69

CONFIDENTIAL

4 MAR 1982

R W Sindon Esq

MAED

FCO

Great George Street

SW1

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

८५८

10/3

P113

3 March 1982

Den Ror,

REPLACEMENT AIRPORT FOR HONG KONG

4

Thank you for your letter of 25 February enclosing a teleletter from Hong Kong on this subject.

See (

2 I have no doubt at all that from the civil aviation point of view the site at Chek Lap Kok is much to be preferred over anything at Deep Bay. It would in my view be an act of lunacy to choose a, site which was continuously dependent upon Chinese goodwill for its successful operation. Any such development would put CAAC in a position of immense advantage, not only in relation to Cathay Pacific and its services from Hong Kong into China, but also in relation to the whole of BA's and CPA's international networks radiating from Hong Kong, which could effectively be held to ransom if the Chinese were in a position to make severe difficulties about overflight of their airspace. Our experience of CAAC must load us

10

to conclude that they would not hesitate to make use of any argument. and any leverage at their disposal, and I for one would not wish to give them any extra opportunitien.

3

For these reasons I strongly support the conclusion which I understand has been reached in Hong Kong against more detailed studies of the Deep Bay option.

Yours sickely

II M G Stevens

می