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8. I asked Ramos whether the Chinese had shown any interest in air services matters which were a large segment in our work. He said the Portuguese with their new airport in mind had been attempting to interest the Chinese, but to little effect. The Chinese had stated that they had no interest whatsoever in flying to Portugal. However, a CAAC delegation was due shortly to discuss the matter. The Portuguese had hopes for regional services from Macau into cities in China and other nearby Asian countries as well as to Taiwan.
9. Turning to other major projects, Ramos said that the deep water port was still under construction. More indicative of Chinese attitudes to the future however would be their response to a recent proposal by a group of large Taiwanese capitalists for a major development in Macau. The proposal was to reclaim land between the outlying islands of Taipa and Colone
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and to use the ground for a major industrial development. This proposal had been made two or three months ago and was of a magnitude (he said five or six times the airport in cost) which the Macau Government had to take very seriously. It would require huge importation of labour, presumably from China. The Portuguese had told the Chinese of Taiwanese interest and the Chinese had yet to react in any meaningful way. This is the first I have heard of such a proposal and I did not let my scepticism show. I confess however that mention of Taipa did bring to mind the beautifully constructed roads, fire hydrants and all, which currently lie overgrown and unused through lack of capital on Taipa.
10.
Ramos was in an elegàic mood over lunch and revealed considerable interest in the history of Portuguese/Chinese relations and the history of China as a whole. He said it was remarkable how helpful studying 16th and 17th century negotiations was for his presnet task. It was amazing how often Portuguese negotiators in those times had given lengthy involved explanations to their Chinese opposite numbers only to have the Chinese return to their original points the next
He said he was happy to be able to serve in Macau at this stage in his career and evidently anticipated the end of Macau as it had been for the last few centuries. He lamented the disapperance of the Macaense dialect
(sound)
famili) morning as if nothing had happened.
in the suitably crumbling surroundings of the Belvista Hotel He is returning to Lisbon for a months holiday in June. There- after he will be joined by his family in the autumn when he expects to spend more protracted periods in Macau. We undertook to keep in touch.
cc: K DEvetts Esq, LISBON CO Pigott Esq, PEKING
Yous ever,
Dong
D G Martin
RAJ Bunten Esq, PA Office, HK R C Wilson Esq, HKG, GDB
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