The Hon. Nellie Kut-man FONG, J.P.
Sir Peter Middleton GCB
Permanent Secretary
HM Treasury
Parliament Street London SW1 P3AG
United Kingdom
Dear
May 15, 1990.
It was a pleasure meeting you in Hong Kong and again aboard the flight to Beijing. I was glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to Hong Kong. The month of May is the best time to visit Beijing and I trust your visit there was also enjoyable.
I travel frequently between Hong Kong and China and I see an increasing important role for Hong Kong to play in China's open policy in the years ahead. The more communications and day to day contacts we have can create more understanding for each other. Air flights between Hong Kong and Beijing as well as Hong Kong and Shanghai are getting full again.. This must mean that business is getting back to normal and that is a good sign.
I understand that we have a common interest in the area of the Civil Service, with my focus being on Hong Kong and yours on Britain. In that connection you may be able to help me resolve one doubt that exists among the expatriate civil servants in Hong Kong. I was told that an individual will be unable to join the Civil Service in Britain if his parents, either father or mother, works for the Government of a Communist Country. Since Hong Kong will revert to China in 1997 and China will then possibly be a Communist Country (although it tends to regard itself as a socialist regime), many Hong Kong people might be ineligible for working in the U.K. Civil Service. I believe it important that we clarify this for the expatriate civil servants, the existing rumor, if allowed to spread, could be damaging for the existing Civil Service's commitment to stay beyond 1997.
Cont'd./2
Office of Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils
Legislative Council Building,
8 Jackson Road, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-8440700
Arthur Andersen & Co..
25/F., Wing On Centre.
111 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-8520222 Fax: 5-412893
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