CONFIDENTIAL
156556.
MDLIAN 9
5. A MORE EASILY ATTAINABLE OBJECTIVE WILL BE TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES HERE. AGAIN, YOUR ADVICE ON WHERE WE MIGHT DIRECT OUR EFFORTS WOULD BE MOST WELCOME. WE KNOW THIS IS A COMPETITIVE MARKET, AND NOT A RISK-FREE ONE. FOR ONE THING WE WILL NEED TO TAKE A VERY HARD LOOK AT OUR VISA POLICY FOR WHILE SOVBLOC NATIONALS, WHICH LOOKS INCREASINGLY OUTDATED.
WE HAVE YET TO COME TO ANY DECISIONS ON HOW FAR TO RELAX THIS POLICY, WE WOULD PLAINLY HAVE TO ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCES IN THIS AREA OF SEEKING TO INTERNATIONALISE HONG KONG.
INTERNATIONALISING 1997
6. THE MORE WE CAN DEVELOP THE INTERNATIONAL FLAVOUR OF HONG KONG BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 THE BETTER PROSPECT WE HAVE BOTH OF MAINTAINING THE ECONOMY AND OF DEVELOPING WIDESPREAD VESTED INTERESTS WHICH WILL HELP SAFEGUARD THE AUTONOMY PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE EXPERIENCE HERE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN TERMS BOTH OF THE PEKING MASSACRE AND THE NATIONALITY ISSUE HAS REINFORCED THE VIEW FIRST THAT HONG KONG MUST HELP ITSELF AND BE SEEN TO DO SO: AND SECONDLY THAT WE MUST SEEK WHAT HELP WE CAN FROM ALL OUR POTENTIAL FRIENDS.
7. WE ARE WORKING HARD ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE CLEAR THAT HONG KONG CAN AND WILL HELP ITSELF (I WILL BE ANNOUNCING A RANGE OF POLICY AND INFRASTRUCTURAL INTITIATIVES IN MY OCTOBER ADDRESS TO LEGCO). ON THE SECOND REQUIREMENT THERE IS ROOM FOR A DIPLOMATIC EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE OTHER INFLUENTIAL GOVERNMENTS TO DECLARE THEIR INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE BOTH PRIVATELY TO THE CHINESE, AND, IF POSSIBLE PUBLICLY (SO HONG KONG PEOPLE ALSO GET THE MESSAGE AND DERIVE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM IT). COLLECTIVE STATEMENTS AT APPROPRIATE GATHERINGS ARE OF COURSE USEFUL. BUT, FOR THE MOMENT, THESE WILL NATURALLY TEND TO FOCUS ON CRITICISM OF CHINA AND THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY ACHIEVE ANYTHING USEFUL FOR HONG KONG. BETTER WOULD BE A TARGETTED AND SUSTAINED EFFORT TO STIMULATE POSITIVE PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE REGARDING HONG KONG'S FUTURE, BOTH COLLECTIVELY AND BY INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES. THIS WOULD BE MORE THAN A ONE-OFF EFFORT TO LIFT US OUT OF THE PRESENT TROUGH.
8. THE BEST CANDIDATES WILL BE THOSE WITH THE LARGEST STAKE IN HONG KONG (USA, JAPAN): THOSE MOST WELL DISPOSED COLD COMMON- WEALTH): AND PERHAPS THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE A SPECIAL LINE TO PEKING (EG PAKISTAN?). TO ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT, WE SHALL NEED TO DO MORE ON QUANTIFYING OUR TIES WITH THESE COUNTRIES IN
2
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.