4.
THE FLOOD OF APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WITH FUNDS TO INVEST IN CANADA, AND WISHING TO IMMIGRATE FOR THAT PURPOSE, IS CURRENTLY RUNNING AT THE RATE OF 150 NEW APPLICATIONS PER WEEK. EACH REQUIRES A LOT OF WORK. AS YOU KNOW, THE CANADIAN PROVINCES
ARE INTERESTED IN ATTRACTING THIS FLOW OF CAPITAL. THE DEA HAVE
MADE CONSIDERABLE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT THE PROVINCES DO NOT ADD
TO UNCERTAINTY IN HONG KONG BY COMPETING TOO BLATENTLY, OR IN A
WAY THAT MIGHT SUGGEST A LACK OF CANADIAN CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG.
THE PROVINCES HAVE PROVED AMENABLE TO ADVICE, AND HAVE TRIED TO FALL
IN WITH ITO
GBBAY
NEVERTHELESS IT REMAINS TRUE THAT THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL
OF ACTIVITY ON THIS FRONT.
5. THE IMMIGRANTS FROM HONG KONG ARE FORMING PART OF THE FABRIC OF CANADIAN COMMUNITIES, AND NOT ONLY IN TRADITIONAL CENTRES LIKE
VANCOUVER AND TORONTO.
6.
茶
THE FLOW OF APPLICATIONS FROM POTENTIAL IMMIGRANTS IS APPARENTLY SENSITIVE TO EVERY HICCUP: THE CANADIANS NOTICED THAT IT INCREASED GREATLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF JARDINE MATHESON'S PLANS TO SET UP OUTSIDE HONG KONG AND THE RECENT STATEMENT ON CHINESE TROOPS BEING IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997.
7. THE CANADIANS HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME THOUGHT TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MIGHT AT SOME POINT BE A MORE GENERAL EXODUS, AND HOW THEY WOULD HANDLE A CONSEQUENT WIDER FLOOD OF APPLICATIONS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THEY EXPECT OR WANT. THEY HAVE NOT SO FAR DONE ANY DETAILED PLANNING, AND ARE NOT CURRENTLY GEARING UP IN EXPECTATION OF PROBLEMS, BUT THEY ARE NEVERTHELESS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE LIMITED CAPACITY, AND SOMEWHAT CROWDED CONDITIONS OF THEIR PRESENT MISSION.
8. THEIR OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS TO TRY NOT TO ADD TO THE DIFFICULTIES AND SENSITIVITIES, AND THEY AIM TO GIVE REASSURING ANSWERS WHEN ASKED FOR THEIR VIEWS.
89.
JOHN HADWEN, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR EAST ASIA IN DEA HAS MADE THE POINT, WITH WHICH WE AGREE, THAT THE FOREGOING UNDERLINES THAT KEEPING THE CANADIANS BRIEFED IS IN OUR INTERESTS, AS WELL AS THE CANADIANS'. HE IS ATTENDING A DITCHLEY CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER AND IS PURSUING SEPARATELY THE POSSIBILITY OF A CALL ON DAVID WILSON
WHILE HE IS IN LONDON. I BELIEVE DAVID WILSON WOULD FIND A
CONVERSATION WITH HIM INTERESTING AND USEFUL.
SIGNED RH BAKER
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