RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 191300Z FCO
TELNO 1465
OF 19103OZ APRIL 88
RESTRICTED
HKB 027/3
30
110650
MDHIAN 6238
TOP a DIGT ?
COP
PERSONAL FOR HUM, FROM GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNO 967:
VISIT TO HONG KONG BY SECRETARY OF STATE
IN INFORMED EXCO IN CONFIDENCE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT AT OUR MEETING THIS MORNING. THEY WERE VERY PLEASE TO HEAR OF THIS PLAN AND LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING THE SECRETARY OF STATE
2. I REALISE THAT THE DRAFT PROGRAMME SUGGESTED IN MY TELNO 1430 DOES NOT CONTAIN ANYTHING VERY NEW OR EXCITING. IT IS INDEED THE CASE THAT THERE ARE SOME UNAVOIDABLE FIXTURES. INTO THIS CATEGORY I WOULD PUT THE VARIOUS BRIEFINGS BY SENIOR OFFICIALS, THE VISIT TO A REFUGEE CAMP ATTENDING A MEETING OF EXCO, THE MEETING AND DINNER WITH OMELCO AND THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
3. APART FROM THIS I THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD BE SEEN TO BE MEETING AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE IN THE TIME AVAILABLE: HENCE THE TWO LUNCHES. I ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT HE SHOULD GET A FULL FEEL OF THE CONTINUING VITALITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG AND BE SEEN BY THE LOCAL AND FOREIGN PRESS TO DO SO. HENCE THE IDEA OF VISITS TO THE CONTAINER PORT, THE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AND A NEW TOWN.
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4. HAVING NOW HAD MORE TIME TO CONSIDER THE MATTER I REALISE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE VISITED SHATIN NEW TOWN IN 1984. HE MAY THEREFORE PREFER TO VISIT ANOTHER NEW TOWN, FOR EXAMPLE TAIPO. ALTERNATIVELY A RETURN VISIT TO SHATIN NEW TOWN, WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WOULD HAVE ITS OWN INTEREST. A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I HAVE NO STRONG VIEWS ON THIS. BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR HIM TO VISIT THE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AND THE CONTAINER PORT. THE FORMER PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT FACTORIES USING HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROCESSES, WHICH ARE A KEY PART OF HONG KONG'S CONTINUING DEVELOP- MENT IN THE FUTURE. THE LATTER WOULD BE A SYMBOLIC RECOGNITION OF THE PORT'S EMERGENCE AS THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AND OF ITS IMPORTANT ROLE AS A CONDUIT FOR GOODS COMING IN AND OUT OF BOTH HONG KONG AND SOUTH
CHINA.
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