TNAG-1487-FCO40-2044-Hong-Kong-banking-Banking-Bill-1986-1986 — Page 228

PEMAINING CONTRACT WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOP BRITAIN AND IF

4T DID NOT COME OUR WAY THE BRITISH CONTENT OF THE BUILDING WOU

BE VIRTUALLY NIL. MR LIANG SAID HE APPRECIATED THIS AND HE WAS

ANXIOUS THAT THERE SHOULD BE THIS SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT. 1 POINTED

OUT THAT EVEN IF PILKINGTON DID SUPPLY THE GLASS IN FACT THE VALUE

WOULD BE A VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE BUILDING

(ABOUT HK DOLLARS 4 BILLION). MENTIONED THAT PILKINGTON MADE

GLASS ELSEWHERE THAN IN THE UK. MR LIANG SAID HE KNEW THIS AND THE

REQUIREMENT WOULD BE FOR GLASS FROM BRITIAN.

3. MR LIANG SAID HE WAS DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT BRITISH FIRMS HAD NOT DONE WELL. TECHNICALLY THEIR DIDS HAD BEEN EXCELLENT BUT THEY

WERE UNCOMPETITIVE ESPECIALLY AGAINST THE JAPANESE, IT WAS A MYSTERY

?? HOW THE JAPANESE HAD BEEN ABLE TO OFFER SUCH LOW PRICES. THE RISING

nawe VALUE OF THE YEN HAD MADE NO DIFFERENCE TO THEM DURING THE

COMMERCIAL NEGOTIATIONS: THEY HAD MET ALL THE USUAL DEMANDS FOR REDUCTIONS. PARTLY BECAUSE THE JAPANESE HAD BID SO COMPETITIVELY THE

BUILDING WOULD BE COMPLETED WELL WITHIN BUDGET.

4. MR LIPANG SAID THE BANK HAD NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE JAPANESE WORK

SO FAR. THEY HAD FINISHED THE FOUNDATIONS ON TIME AND THERE HAD BEEN

NO DISAGREEMENT OVER EXTRA COSTS. NEVERTHELESS THE BANK WERE

RELIEVED THAT THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR CERTAIN EQUIPMENT HAD

PRECLUDED THE JAPANESE FROM DOING EVERYTHING. THE CHINESE

AUTHORITIES WOULD HAVE BEEN EMBARRASSED TO HAVE HAD AN ALL JAPANESE

BUILDING. HE THOUGHT THE TOTAL JAPANESE CONTENT WOULD BE JUST UNDER

HALF THE VALUE OF THE BUILDING.

HOLLOWAY

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