TNAG-1482-FCO40-2036-Economic-and-commercial-value-of-Hong-Kong-to-the-UK-1986 — Page 105

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CONFIDENTIAL

5784

OCMIAN 5784

CONFIDENTIAL

OO HOKON

PP HKBTC

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

071700Z JAN

GRS 425

CONFIDENTIAL

нин

Han 090/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

0 8 JAN 1986

DESK OFFICER

TRY

FM FCO

INDEX

PA

then

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 42

Све

OF 071700Z JANUARY 86

INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG

090/1 (1985)

36

YOUR TELNO 1913 OF 1985: NORTH OF ENGLAND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

(NEDC)

1.

HKD REPRESENTATIVES MET WITH THOSE OF DTI AND NEDC ON

11 DECEMBER TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL SUMMARISED IN DTI INDUS 337.

AT THE MEETING NEDC PRESENTED THEIR CASE FOR PROCEEDING TO OPEN A

FULL-TIME OFFICE IN HONG KONG AS FOLLOWS:

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

NEDC HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THE FAR EAST FOR 10 YEARS. THEY

HAVE ATTRACTED TO THE NORTH EAST ONE COMPANY FROM

SINGAPORE, 8 FROM JAPAN AND 3 FROM HONG KONG.

FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS THEY HAVE OPERATED IN HONG KONG VIA

A PART-TIME HONG KONG OFFICE RUN BY BILL WELTON OF

CHEVIOT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS (AT ABERDEEN).

THE PROPOSED HONG KONG OFFICE (WHICH WOULD REPLACE THE

PART-TIME ARRANGEMENT) WOULD COVER THE FAR EAST AS A

WHOLE. JAPAN WOULD REMAIN THE MAIN NEDC TARGET,

ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT HALF OF NEDC'S INWARD INVESTMENT

PROMOTION ACTIVITY IN THE REGION. THE OTHER HALF WOULD

BE SPREAD BETWEEN HONG KONG, SOUTH KOREA, SINGAPORE AND

CHINA.

IN HONG KONG NEDC WOULD CONTINUE TO PROJECT THE LOW

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