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There is also the increasing number of consultants working here and British expertise is much in demand in the supervision of the largest. infrastructure projects. The crucial point is that British business interest in Hong Kong is increasing and not, as some would have it, decreasing. I am not going to launch into a comparison of the involvement of various countries but I think the British presence should be recognised for what it is: a fundamental element in the economy; large and increasing.
The Trade Commission is here to support that presence, to report opportunities back to British industry and to help new people into the market. We are always reviewing our operation. Next year we will continue to support a large number of trade missions from Britain but in addition we are looking at the possibility of mounting more missions in the other direction, from Hong Kong to Britain. This year a group went to look at what the British medical sector had to offer. Next year we will be targetting other British industries. We will also be sending more individuals to Britain to exhibitions or to familiarise themselves with the UK. If you would like your parent companies to play a part in any programme arranged for these visitors please drop me a line.
In Hong Kong, we are planning a presence at a good number of exhibitions; we are also planning a very large British commercial exhibition in November to coincide with the official opening of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The arrangements are in the hands of a British professional exhibition organiser and the response from firms in Hong Kong and Britain has been very good. If you want to know more about the exhibition, please speak to Chris Hayward. We are working on this with the British Council who will be holding an education exhibition alongside the commercial show. I am sure you will have noticed how much more active British universities and technical institutes have been in Hong Kong in the last couple of years. They have been very successful in attracting more students to Britain. And here is another myth to be exploded: there are a very large number of Hong Kong students in Britain: 12,000 at the last estimate.
At about the same time as the exhibition in November we will be supporting British promotions in a number of Hong Kong stores. The difficulty on this front is to decide which stores we can support: so many have put proposals
The retail sector is an area where British suppliers are doing increasingly well.
to us.
Well, that really concludes this brief review. The pace of British business in Hong Kong has increased in 1988 and the signs are it will continue to increase in 1989. The British business community remains alert and active; it is becoming more identifiable and it is growing.
Thank you for listening and for all your help and support.
A Merry Christmas!
REH/mcs
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