TNAG-2193-FCO40-3130-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 188

Banas

1967

THE CHUEEN'S AWARD FOR

TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Bonas Machine Company Limited

REGO. NO 587061 ENGLAND

Reg. Office.

Dukesway, Team Valley Trading Estate. Gateshead,

NE11 OLF, England.

Telephone: (091) 491 0444.

Telex: 53424 BONAS G.

Facsimile: (091) 491 0999.

IMH/GA

23 October 1989

The Right Hon. Nicholas Ridley MP

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Department of Trade and Industry

1 Victoria Street

London SW1H OET

Dear Mr Ridley

HONG KONG EMPLOYEES

I am copying this letter to both the Foreign and Home offices.

We are Bonas Machine Company, manufacturers of textile machinery, winners of several Queen's Awards, and exporting 85% of our production. Turnover in 1989 will be around £23 million, of which some 15% is destined for Hong Kong and adjacent Chinese speaking markets. Both the value and percentage of this business is forecast to increase in coming years, reflecting the growing importance of the Pacific rim.

The future of our operation in Hong Kong and the Far East is, however, cause for great concern. The Hong Kongese believe Britain is abandoning them, and the reality of Chinese rule preys on their minds like a cancer. Conversation,

Conversation, often nowadays prefaced with "since the Beijing massacre", invariably turns to the question of obtaining a passport. It should come as no surprise to us in Britain that people's first priority is how to ensure their freedom.

These are industrious, ambitious people with a loyalty towards Britain. They combine specific occupational skills with the ability to communicate to our customers in Mandarin and Cantonese as well as English. They wish to remain in Hong Kong, but cannot risk having no escape route.

If we lose these skills from our day to day operation in Hong Kong then our whole existence in the vitally important Far East is threatened. We shall not be able to provide service in the Chinese speaking world, and will leave a vacuum for our competitors to exploit.

This will have an immediate effect on employment prospects here in the North East, both for ourselves and our sub-contractors. Worse, it will cut us off from a very dynamic part of the customer base, which could ultimately lead to loss of world markets.