Rn12/1 Miss Mason
me Mr
من هم
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
Mr Morfin 191
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
Way,
OF 09120OZ JANUARY 90
INFO TELELETTER SINGAPORE
CONFIDENTIAL
fo 1011
PS/1US
PA tue / fingrare
MDTTAN 0384-
02017
000602
ke
PS
PS (Mr Maude
HK B
RECEIVED
"Y
2 EB 1990
INDEX
Mr Guemor
Mr Colvin, SEAT).
над
LAT Paul, Had
Though planned to proted Suigapore' own
interests
value
the
achino
The johto ui § 5
2
to make
:
he has
m - § 3 534 kl have
are easy for
for its Lee truck with democacy
in Singapor
!
CORRECTED VERSION FROM:
FOLLOWING FOR:
COPIED TO:
SIR D WILSON, GOVERNOR, HONG KONG ROBIN MCLAREN, CMG AUSS ECO
SIR M. PIKE, KCVO, HIGH COMMISSIONER SINGAPORE
MY TELNO : 83: MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER LEE KUAN YEW
LEE KUAN YEW CAME TO LUNCH AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE ON 9 JANUARY. WE THEN HAD A SHORT PRIVATE MEETING WHICH BRIGADIER GENERAL YEO (MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS) ATTENDED.
2. LEE SAID THAT THE SINGAPORIANS BELIEVED THAT HONG KONG WOULD SURVIVE 1997 INTACT. THERE MIGHT WELL BE SOME MEASURE OF DECLINE
BUT THERE WOULD BE NO COLLAPSE: THEY WERE BULLISH ABOUT HONG HONG'S LONG TERM PROSPECTS. THEY HAD A THREEFOLD INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S SURVIVAL:
(A) HONG KONG HAD A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY IN SINGAPORE'S ECONOMIC
CONTACTS WITH CHINA:
(B) HONG KONG ACTED AS A FILTER THROUGH WHICH SINGAPORE COULD GAIN
ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY MANPOWER FROM CHINA OVER TIME:
(C) HONG KONG PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SINGAPORE TO IMPROVE ITS OWN RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA, E.G. THROUGH BEING SEEN TO HELP OVER HONG KONG.
3. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND LEE SAID THAT HIS SENIOR STAFF WERE EXAMINING WAYS IN WHICH THEY COULD HELP HONG KONG OVER THE DIFFICULTIES IT MIGHT FACE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. YEO WAS CHAIRING THE RELEVANT GROUP. THEY BELIEVED THEY COULD HELP PRIMARILY THROUGH PROVIDING REASSURANCE TO TWO SECTORS IN HONG
KONG:-
(I) THROUGH SCHEMES SUCH AS THAT ANNOUNCED LAST JULY WHICH GAVE RIGHT OF ENTRY TO BLUE COLLAR WORKERS, AND
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.