TNAG-2038-FCO40-2902-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 111

CODE 18-77

MIN VIS

50

To:

Secretary of State

for Trade & industry.

From:

David Love

Head OT2/2

V/347

НКВ 026/9

RECEIVED

Copy:

2 O NOV 1990

DESK OFFICER

Mistarsten!.

Mr S 20/11 Mr Fucker?

19/1

Reference

PS/MFT

Mr Dell

Mr Adams

“Mr Meadway OT2

Mr Rogers

Mr Murray OT2/2a

Mr Morris OT2/2b

Mr Lewis OT2/2d Mr McBride Inf Mr Mayhew

(Special Adviser) Mr Paul HKD FCO Mr Warren FED FCO

215 5374

16 November 1990

YOUR VISIT TO JAPAN AND HONG KONG, JANUARY 1991

Issue

1.

To decide on accommodation arrangements in Hong Kong and to take note of recent discussion with the Governor in Hong Kong and Ambassador in Tokyo about the programme.

Recommendation

2. Stay with Mr Peter Heap, the Senior British Trade Commissioner in Hong Kong.

Timing

3. Urgent

Argument

4. Both the Governor and the Senior British Trade Commissioner have offered to accommodate you and

Mrs Lilley while in Hong Kong. Neither would be put out if the other's invitation were accepted.

5. Normally this choice would be finely balanced. On the one hand staying with the Governor, which is the routine for Cabinet and most other Ministers, would give ideal access to put across the more 'political' points about the airport and port project informally. On the other hand, staying with Mr Heap would give a very welcome boost to his standing in Hong Kong which we and the FCO have been working to build up since he is the senior representative of British commercial interests in a very status-conscious colony in which the Governor has of course to be seen to be paying attention to wider responsibilities. Mr Sainsbury stayed with the Governor in September.

6. However the position has been complicated by a visit which the Governor has to make to China on 21-22 January, which we intended to be the two main business days of your visit. The Governor has said that nevertheless he would be very content for the visit to go ahead on those