TNAG-1624-FCO40-2238-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 39

C.F. 126

CONFIDENTIAL # Z

- 9 -

[Post meeting note: on infrastructural/transport points,

please copy the information to Miss Doris Cheung in Transport

and on economic points to Mr. Esmond Lee

Branch for the CICC;

in ESB for the CEC.]

VISIT TO PEKING BY HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN (CRC 18/87)

26.

office for their contribution.

mid-1988 seemed likely.

The meeting noted the paper. CS remarked that the

visit appeared to have been successful. He thanked the PA's

He noted that a repeat visit in

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Improvements to Shenzhen River:

Proposed Working Group (CRC

19/87)

27.

CS enquired whether the Shenzhen authorities were

blaming Hong Kong for the delays. SLW acknowledged this, but

said that the situation was very difficult. With hindsight,

the matter might have been handled differently, with Shenzhen

being asked to do all the work and Hong Kong contributing 50% of costs. It had proved very difficult to draw up the contract documents and obtain the necessary design detail from

Shenzhen. He was confident that a solution could ultimately be

found. However, it would be necessary to make some compromises

and deviate from Hong Kong's existing acceptable standards.

Hence the need for high-level policy decisions.

28.

CS accepted the need for careful consideration of the problem. PA agreed with the idea of a committee, but asked

that it work as quickly as possible. He was likely to come under pressure from the Chinese authorities at the Border

Liaison Review in late November. At least an interim view

would be required by then

CONFIDENTIAL # *