CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 010
OF 070755Z
JANUARY 91
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, WASHINGTON
миз
Harz 020/7
la.
HONG KONG TELNO 3793 : HONG KONG RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM
O
066056
MDHIAN 6881
1. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED POLICY MODIFICATIONS SET OUT IN TUR.
TRADE PROMOTION
2. HONG KONG IS ALREADY PERCEIVED IN VIETNAM AS AN ACTIVE TRADING PARTNER AND HAS CURRENTLY THE LARGEST NUMBER OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT PROJECTS HERE. THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WERE RECENTLY IN HANOI AND SAID THEY WERE PLANNING A HIGH LEVEL DELEGATION TO VIETNAM IN FEBRUARY, LED BY THEIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE, AND IN JULY AND EXHIBITION OF PRODUCTS. FURTHER ENCOURAGEMENT OF TRADE WOULD BE WELCOME TO THE VIETNAMESE BUT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY CONSTITUTE A MAJOR INDUCEMENT.
VISAS
3. OF THE POLICIES OUTLINED, RELAXATION OF THE VISA REGIME WOULD PROBABLY DO MOST TO IMPROVE OUR RELATIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE AND TO MAINTAIN COOPERATION OVER THE VBP. REDUCING VISA ISSUE TIME TO 2 WEEKS FOR GENERAL VISITORS AND 5 DAYS FOR SPECIAL CATEGORIES IS BOUND TO BE WELCOME.
4. A VIETNAMESE VISA ISSUING OFFICE IN HONG KONG WOULD BE A FURTHER INDUCEMENT AND I SUSPECT THE VIETNAMESE WOULD ALSO SEE SOME POLITICAL BENEFIT FROM THIS. AS HONG KONG SUGGEST, HOWEVER, THIS MIGHT BE KEPT IN RESERVE FOR US LATER IN CONNECTION WITH
PROGRESS ON VBP.
AIR SERVICES
5. GENRALLY THE VIETNAMESE WELCOME PROPOSALS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW INTERNATIONAL AIR SERVICES PROVIDED THERE IS FINANCIAL GAIN FOR THEM. NEW ACTIVITY HAS BEEN CONCENTRATED ON SERVICES TO HO CHI MINH CITY (HCMC). THERE IS A FEELING IN THE GOVERNMENT THAT HANOI IS LOSING OUT AS AN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE (IF IT EVER
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