TNAG-1847-FCO40-2622-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 64

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4. CHARLES MACKAY SAID HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WOULD CONTINUE AND THAT

THE BRITISH CAUSE WOULD HAVE TO BE CHAMPIONED BY THE TRADE COMMISS-

ION OR A SIMILAR OFFICE WITH WIDER RESPONSIBILITIES. I EXPLAINED THE

WAY IN WHICH THE ROLE OF THE TRADE COMMISSION HAD BEEN EXPANDED OVER THE LAST YEAR (ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR MOST BRITISH MINISTERIAL VISITS AND THE PRESS ARRANGEMENTS, FOR ALL INFORMATION WORK ON BEHALF OF BRITAIN, FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF ALL WHITEHALL PERSONNEL IN HONG KONG AND FOR THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP OFFICE. I SAID I THOUGHT THIS PROCESS OF EXPANSION WOULD CONTINUE BUT THAT THE FCO WOULD NOT WANT THE TRADE COMMISSION TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY MATTERS AT ISSUE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG. NOR COULD THE POST OF SENIOR TRADE COMMISSIONER BE ALLOWED TO DETRACT FROM THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR. EVERYBODY SEEMED TO AGREE THAT THIS WAS RIGHT AND THAT THE EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAINTENANCE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY MUST BE BRITAIN'S MAJOR AIM.

5. SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ASKED IF THE BUSINESSMEN THOUGHT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD BRITISH INTERESTS AT HEART. CHARLES MACKAY SAID HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO ADMINISTER THE TERRITORY AND ALSO TO LOOK OUT FOR BRITAIN'S COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.

6. THE BUSINESSMEN SUGGESTED THAT A BRITANNIA HOUSE SHOULD BE BUILT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO HOUSE THE TRADE COMMISSION AND LATER THE CONSULATE GENERAL. I SAID THE FCO WERE CONSIDEREING VARIOUS SITES AND WOULD APPOINT PROFESSIONALS TO ADVISE ON THE BEST WAY FORWARD. JAMES CHIU OF GEC HONG KONG MENTIONED THAT HIS WAS ONE OF THE COMPANIES INTERESTED IN HELPING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP A SITE AND GEC WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE EQUITY IN THE PROJECT.

7. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT PASSPORTS SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SAID THEY HAD TRIED TO CONVINCE WITNESSES THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE, POLITICALLY AND PRACTICALLY, TO THINK OF ADMITTING ANOTHER 3.5M PEOPLE TO BRITIAN. THEY ASKED THE BUSINESSMEN TO SUGGEST LIMITED AND PRAGMATIC WAYS BY WHICH SOME OF THE DEMAND FOR PASSPORTS MIGHT BE MET. TWO SUGGESTIONS PUT FORWARD WERE THAT PASSPORTS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR KEY WORKERS IN BRITISH COMPANIES IN HONG KONG AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE PASSPORTS ON GRADUAT- ION FOR HONG KONG STUDENTS AND TRAINEES IN BRITAIN.

8. THE BUSINESSMEN WERE ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE BRAIN DRAIN. MR.

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