TNAG-1745-FCO40-2464-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-by-Lor-1988 — Page 16

sverte Italians from their chemical industry, in Peking to sew the future up

with the help of "loadsalira" from their government. O me, O mi.

10. Third, while the Embassy staff are coping personfully, they do appear a

little thin on the ground given the potentialities of the country. One

cannot help but think of the scale of the enterprise at other posts,' like

Tokyo. Are the days gone forever when Peking could boast all at the same

time a Fretwell, a Hurd, an Evans and a Donald, plus much more? Have all

the young Sinologists gone to the city? None of my business, but it does

strike a reasonably experienced itinerant like me as a bit rum. At the

margin, Alan Donald is anxious to broaden the expertise within the Embassy

with a seconded ODA officer, probably at First Secretary level. We shall

see what we can do to help.

11.

And so from China to kong Kong, which illustrates just what the

combination of Chinese hard work and entrepreneurial skill is capable of

once those forces are allowed to flourish. It seems to me likely to become

an increasingly explicit model for the rest of China particularly the

coastal cities like Shanghai. It is hard for the amateur to detect any

supposed deterioration in confidence: the city hustles as busily as always,

and ever more fanciful and daring buildings scrape the stars.

12.

My main purpose in going to Hong Kong was to find out for myself about

the Vietnamese boat people. In addition to spending a full morning visiting

some of the camps (the detention centre at Hei Ling Chau and refugee camps

at Tuen Mun and San Yick) I was able to discuss the situation with both the

Governor and the Chief Secretary.

13.

We have two major objectives to meet. First, we need to have a clear

idea about the timetable for dealing with detainees and refugees, and to set

our own agenda to the extent possible. Secondly, we need to be able to

demonstrate to actual and potential critics that we are treating both groups

fairly and reasonably. As far as the timetable is concerned, we are

three-fifths of the way there. We have agreement on screening procedures;

we have increasing liberalisation of refugees (who are now in the process of

being let out of the camps to work or to attend schools); and we have UNHCR

CONFIDENTIAL

/agreement on