RESTRICTED
174202
MDTTAN 1120
SUCH SPECIAL ATTEMPTS, BUT MOST BRITISH COMPANIES HERE TRY VERY HARD AND BID COMPETITIVELY. THE STATEMENT IN PARA 30 THAT UK CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS DID NOT EXPAND IN THE TERRITORY IN THE 1980'S IS SIMPLY NOT BORNE OUT BY THE FACTS. NOR IS THE ASSERTION IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH THAT CHINA LIGHT AND POWER AND MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE QUALITY AND SERVICE RECEIVED FROM
UK SUPPLIERS. THE LATTER TWO COMPANIES CONSISTENTLY PLACE VERY
MAJOR CONTRACTS WITH A VARIETY OF BRITISH FIRMS AND THEY SIMPLY WOULD NOT DO THIS IF THAT STATEMENT WERE TRUE. AS FOR THE SUGGESTION IN THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF THE PAPER THAT THE TRADE COMMISSION SHOULD MONITOR AND COLLECT DATA ON INVESTMENT CONTRACTS AND SOURCES OF EARNINGS, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT THIS WOULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT TASK AND WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO ANY MEANINGFUL EXTENT
WITHIN OUR EXISTING RESOURCES.
9 I CONCLUDE AS I BEGAN BY STRESSING THAT THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY SWIRES AND JARDINES IS VALUABLE. SUCH MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE GAME ARE BOUND TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE. FIGURES THEY PROVIDE ABOUT
THEIR OWN GROUPS ACTIVITIES HAVE TO BE USEFUL POINTERS. SOME OF IT OF COURSE IS SPECIAL PLEADING, BUT SO LONG AS WE UNDERSTAND THAT, WE CAN MAKE USEFUL USE OF THE FIGURES. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE BRITISH STAKE IN HONG KONG IS VERY LARGE INDEED, LARGER THAN IS INDICATED BY MANY OF THE FIGURES WE HAVE BEEN PRONE TO USING, AND AS SIR ADRIAN SWIRE HAS SAID, HONG KONG IS THE HUB, FOR MOST OF THESE BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS, OF THEIR ACTIVITIES ELSEWHERE IN ASIA. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNISE THIS. IF WE CAN IMPROVE OUR OFFICIAL FIGURES, SO MUCH THE BETTER, BUT IF NOT THEN LET US MAKE THE BEST USE OF THOSE AVAILABLE FROM PRIVATE SOURCES.
SIGNED PETER HEAP
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