TNAG-1845-FCO40-2620-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 115

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

1989-93-23 13:54 G.1.S

interest in the future.

33 P.27

મ Smooth confidence

in

explain 20.000

it was to be Michael Collins Welsh:

As you said chat right

we don't want anybody to lose up to 97, because Hong Kong. But isn't it a point in your memorandum to us. that since 1986

there's more than double emigration emigration

now 45.000

isn't that a great influx of people out of Hong Kong 7 While business skills. administration. 5 per cent of that. Do you think at rate like that. concerned that this also might undermine international confidence

Hong Kong?

management, are vol not

in

Governor:

manpower

economy.

come

in

There into

in wers

the

of

the number the

I am certainly concerned about the Potential effect on Hong Kong of substantial numbers of talented people leaving Hong Kong and particularly so when we have. like we do at the moment a booming

So that there is already 2

of shortage

skilled and unskilled manpower as well. So that is compounded way if you have substantial numbers of talented people leaving, is

background to this which is that people have always 3 Hong Kong and have left Hong Kong. And figures in the 1970s were they

particularly accurate figures. but they are not

of about 30.000 a region

But there's no doubt that year. has gone up recently. There is no doubt in my mind that one factors in that is concern about the future. it is people looking for some sort of an insurance policy. Now in dealing with that problem have one fundamental point which we will never change, which le We will not in any way seek to stop people going. If people go. it was one of the fundamental freedoms that they should be allowed to go. And indeed that is also written into the Joint Declaration. would of course prefer it if more of those pecole stayed in Hong Kong.

insurance or if many of those people having gone abroad and got their policy in the

Kong Hong form of another passport came back to contribute to its economic success.

attention back

ust

actually YOU

WA

Char

want 10

We

draw

You have come

Sir David.

do say that to the fact that a number of returned emigrants that these returnees. if anything should go wrong. move again, won't they. because the thinking that

that they would in any way. in and out like this. guarantee for Hong Kong's future?

move

they'll

these

provide

people

30

Governor!

I

have no particular

did

concern about people have having the freedom to move. I would far rather that people that freedom. And if they found Hong Kong was

they found Hong Kong was a place they wished be in which they enjoyed being in. and where they could be successful

that. that E

feel they should stay

and if they didn't should have

freedom to move. the

because the sort of Hong which people were kept there simply because there was no

is

to

they

Kong alternative

in

We

not necessarily a happy, successful. prosperous Hong Kong that all want to see.

26

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.