Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
Telephone 01-
Your reference
Bonas Machine Company Ltd Dukesway
I M Harris Esq
Managing Director
Team Valley Trading Estate Gateshead NE11 OLF
Our reference
Date
5 December 1989
Dear Uhr Harris
Thank you for your letter of 23 October addressed to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. I have been asked to reply as the subject of the letter is more appropriate to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The concerns which you express have come from many British companies who have interests in Hong Kong.
We are well aware of the problems caused by the loss through emigration of skilled people. We are therefore working on a scheme to give the assurances of the right of abode to some people in the private and public sectors in Hong Kong on the basis of value of service to Hong Kong as well as connections with Britain. Our aim is to give people whose professional, administrative, technical and managerial skills are essential to the continued prosperity of Hong Kong the confidence to remain in the territory. They will doubtless include precisely the sort of people whose loss to Hong Kong through emigration is of particular concern to you. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
We note the details of the three employees of your Hong Kong operation who you think are essential to the continued success of your business in the territory. But when the Scheme is announced and the criteria for qualification are known it will be up to them to apply individually.
You may
I hope this goes some way to reassure you on this issue. be assured that Britain will not shirk her responsibilities towards Hong Kong; our commitment to the territory and to its people is as firm as ever.
You ever,
Mani Та
J Morris
Hong Kong Department
MTHAOY
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