CONFIDENTIAL
0406***
MDLIAN 2177 ·
(A) TO CONTINUE TO USE THE MESSAGE THAT WITHDRAWAL OF CHINA'S MFN STATUS WOULD DAMAGE HONG KONG,
(B) TO EXTEND OUR LOBBYING TARGETS BEYOND THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS SO AS TO SECURE BROADER BASED SUPPORT FROM WITHIN THE U.S.,
(C) TO UNDERTAKE DIRECT LOBBYING IN THE U.S., AND
(D) TO CO-ORDINATE LOBBYING EFFORTS BY THE HONG KONG PRIVATE SECTOR, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AND OTHER BODIES.
5. ON THE THEME IN PARA 4(A) ABOVE, WE HAVE PREPARED AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON HONG KONG IN THE EVENT OF CHINA LOSING MFN STATUS. A COPY OF THE PAPER HAS BEEN SENT TO YOU BE FAX.
6. TO EXPAND OUR LOBBYING (PARA 4 (B) ABOVE), OFFICERS OF HKETOS IN THE U.S. ARE CALLING ON THEIR BUSINESS CONTACTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE U.S. WITH A VIEW TO ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE UP OUR CAUSE WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND THEIR CONGRESSMEN FROM A U.S. PERSPECTIVE.
7. DIRECT LOBBYING (PARA 4(C) ABOVE), IS BEING DONE BY OUR WASHINGTON HKETO WITH THE SUPPORT OF A TEAM OF LOBBYISTS. IN ADDITION, A SMALL DELEGATION FROM THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WILL BE VISITING THE U.S. DURING THE LATTER HALF OF MAY TO LOBBY AGAINST REMOVAL OF MFN FROM CHINA. THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND OTHER (PRIVATE SECTOR) MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG/U.S. ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE WILL ALSO BE CALLING ON U.S. ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AND CONGRESSMEN BEFORE AND AFTER A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE AND ITS U.S. COUNTERPART TO BE HELD IN NEW YORK ON 6 JUNE. WE WILL PLAN AND ARRANGE FURTHER LOBBYING ACTIVITIES IN THE LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENTS.
8. IN CO-ORDINATING PRIVATE SECTOR LOBBYING (PARA 4(D) ABOVE), THE AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR LOBBYING TARGETS RECEIVE CONSISTENT MESSAGES FROM HONG KONG.
9. FINALLY, IT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR HMG TO MAKE DIRECT APPROACHES TO THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION OR CONGRESS AT SOME CRITICAL STAGE. WE
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