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HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
17.
I spent the morning with Roger Chu Ying, the TDC's
Chief Representative in Peking. He was born in the mainland,
educated in Hong Kong, and is now based in the US. He is
obviously well connected and would be a useful contact for Chancery (up till now his contacts with the Embassy have been
confined to Commercial Section). He claimed to know well
Chen Yun's daughter and Yang Shangkun's son, among others. He
was optimistic on the prospects for future development of the
economic relationship between Hong Kong and China. The Chinese leadership were aware of the economic benefits to China of a
prosperous Hong Kong. This would not change although they were not as clear on the need to maintain certain other freedoms in Hong Kong (Mr. Chu echoed the Chinese official view that immigration was not a problem because those leaving would return to Hong Kong once they had secured residence abroad).
·
18.
Of the big guns in business in Hong Kong, Li Ka-shing
and Sir Y K Pao were tolerated and given face because of their
direct financial contributions. Gordon Wu was alone in having
excellent access and influence. But there was a further group of less prominent businessmen who took the trouble to visit Peking regularly even if they did not have good business reasons for doing so. This group were building their contacts where it mattered, and would become highly influential in
business and government after 1997. It was as much a matter of them nurturing the Chinese Authorities as of the Chinese
Authorities cultivating them.
19.
I met a number of American journalists and diplomats
including James McGregor of the Wall Street Journal, Lena Sun
of the Washington Post and William Tagliani, Economic Officer
at the Embassy (Counsellor, I believe). The discussion
inevitably centered on human rights and MFN. On the latter
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