TNAG-1951-FCO40-2779-British-capital-investment-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 157

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)

companies look to the Senior British Trade Commissioner,

and to the influence and authority of the British

Government which that office embodies, for support and

assistance. I do not see how a high profile

businessman, however uninhibited and ruthless, could

He would be unable to do

promote a comparable service. much more for British companies than the companies could

do for themselves.

Our recent decision to upgrade the post of Senior

British Trade Commissioner was widely welcomed, both in

Britain and Hong Kong, as a mark of our commitment to the territory and our recognition of its commercial and

It would hardly be

economic importance to Britain.

consistent with our greater commitment to Hong Kong, nor

would it be understood, if we

were

to hand over the tasks

of the Senior British Trade Commissioner to a businessman

and if his office were to be partly financed by the

private sector. Nor would I agree that a Trade

Commissioner who was not a Government official would be able to operate without attracting any of the resentments which, as you point out in your letter, tend to exist in Hong Kong. Such sensitivities are unalterable facts of life in Hong Kong which the identity of the Trade

er

Commission could not change. Commission

You advocate a review of our present attitude

towards allowing Hong Kong residents into the UK.

not clear how radical a review you would envisage.

I am

/But