TNAG-1748-FCO40-2467-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 10

COHADF

CONFIDENTIAL

VISIT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO HONG KONG: 29-31 MAY 1988

BRIEF NO 1: STEERING BRIEF

Introduction

1.

This will be the first substantive visit by the Secretary of

State to Hong Kong since 1984. In that year he visited the

territory, in connection with the negotiation and signature of the

Joint Declaration, on three occasions. Since then he has made only

a brief stop-over, in transit to China, in October 1986.

Objectives

2.

The objectives of the present visit are:

i) to demonstrate the strength of HMG's continuing commitment to

Hong Kong and its future;

ii)

iii)

to discuss current issues with the Governor, ExCo, OMELCO and

other representatives of the community;

to experience at first hand how Hong Kong is developing

physically, socially and politically.

Programme

3.

The programme of the visit is at Annex a. It comprises three

elements:

i)

ii)

-

meetings formal, informal or social - with the Governor,

EXCO, OMELCO, officials, community leaders, representatives of

business, young professionals and Diplomatic Service

personnel;

visits to a refugee processing centre, the container port and

Hong Kong Polytechnic. There will be a particular emphasis in

the visits and presentations on Hong Kong's infrastructural development;

CONFIDENTIAL