dti
the department for Enterprise
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in excess of £20 billion.
Despite a population of only 5.9
million, it is the world's 11th largest exporter and our 17th largest export market as well as being effectively the brain of a
economic entity which includes part of the neighbouring Chinese
province. From the air the modern skyline of the adjacent Chinese special economic zone looks like another part of Hong
Kong.
The need for a greatly expanded infrastructure to support all
this is abundantly clear to anyone who tries to travel in Hong
Kong itself. This should generate very substantial commercial opportunities, particularly for the construction and related industries. The original plan for the new port and airport
development alone envisages work in excess of £9 billion.
My main aims were to draw attention to the fact that British
business is still maintaining a high level of commitment to the
market, despite some local comment to the contrary, and to
emphasise that we look to win a substantial share of the new
major project business. I was also able to reaffirm our
continuing commitment, under the Sino-British Joint Declaration,
to discharging our responsibility for the administration of Hong
Kong up to 1997. At a private meeting with the Governor, I said
that we were rather concerned at the extent of awards to American
consultants for the new airport and hope that this will not
adversely affect British chances for the main contracts. I also
emphasised our keenness to win this business, of course on fully
competitive terms, particulary the main bridge to the airport,
and also other public contracts such as the fast patrol boats for
the police.
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