TNAG-1350-FCO40-1791-Leading-personalities-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 34

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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HOWEVER THE FAMILY HAS ADDITIONAL INTERESTS IN A VAST ARRAY

OF QUITE DIVERSE COMPANIES (EG HOTELS, AND LORD KADOORIE IS CHAIRMAN OF SCHRODERS AND CHARTERED LTD AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPANIES). THE KADOORIES HAVE BEEN GENEROUS BENEFACTORS IN

THE FAR EAST OVER PAST DECADES, FOUNDED AND GUIDING THE ACTIVITIES OF HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS CHARITABLE

INSTITUTIONS.

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IN RECOGNITION OF HIS CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE IN HONG KONG

AND OF HIS GENEROSITY, LORD KADOORIE HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF

MANY HONOURS AND DISTINCTIONS. IN 1970 HE WAS MADE A COMMANDER

OF THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, AND A KNIGHT BACHELOR IN 1974. OTHER HONOURS INCLUDE KNIGHT (ASSOCIATE) OF

THE MOST VENERABLE ORDER OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST JOHN OF JERUSALEM

IN 1972: OFFICIER DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR IN 1975: AND COMMANDER

DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR IN 1982: IN 1981 HE WAS GRANTED A LIFE

PEERAGE, THE FIRST EVER TO BE CONFERRED ON A HONG KONG MAN.

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LORD KADOORIE REMAINS ALERT AND WITH A GOOD GRASP OF HIS

BUSINESS AFFAIRS. HE SEEMS TO BE WELL REGARDED AS AN ELDER

STATESMAN BY THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP HAVING BEEN HONOURED WITH A

FRIENDLY MEETING WITH DENG XIAO PING AT THE SIGNATURE OF THE

JOINT VENTURE COMPANY IN JANUARY 1985. HE IS NOT CLOSELY

INVOLVED IN THE DAY TODAY AFFAIRS OF THE GNP JVC BUT IS WELL PLACED

TO RECEIVE INFORMATION VIA CLP AND OTHER SOURCES. HE WAS HEAVILY

INVOLVED IN SEEKING TO SORT OUT CLP'S DIFFICULIES WITH EXXON,

WHICH HELPED DELAY THE FORMATION OF THE JVC LAST YEAR.

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AT HIS MEETING WITH BRITISH OFFICIALS LAST MONTH

LORD KADOORIE SUGGESTED THAT FRAMATOME AND GEC WOULD ENTER THE

NEXT ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS STILL WITH A PREFERENTIAL POSITION,

BUT THAT IF THESE DID NOT REACH A SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION. THE

CHINESE WOULD SEEK TO INCREASE COMPETITIVE PRESSURES. GENERALLY,

LORD KADOORIE TAKES AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF THE PROSPECTS FOR

HONG KONG UNDER THE SINO BRITISH AGREEMENT.

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