*
TI MON)
invest in britain bureau
such as the RDOS incurred in mounting the promotions.
With the gentle relaxation of the rules controlling our dealings with Taiwan we have been able to put on a seminar in Taipei at which we had representative speakers from Taiwan companies in the UK, a short welcome from an Industrial Development and Investment Centre i e Taiwan Government, person, and an IBB (studiously avoiding the DTI connection) person. The seminar was chaired by the Anglo-Taiwan Trade Committee. We were able to get an audience of 100 most of whom were good quality companies. As a follow up we shall be inviting 14 companies on an IBB sponsored mission to the UK in September. This leads me to believe we could try something similar in HK subject of course to the blessings from the FCO and Government House.
So this long introduction, for which I apologise, brings me to the main point of this letter, namely, how could IBB within the rules, organise a promotional event in Hong Kong? The easy part is that as there are ten HK companies already in the UK I am sure we could get speakers from one or two of them. The IBB could supply a speaker and all the necessary literature. The STC or yourself could give the introduction and chair the seminar. The difficult part is that we would not be able to advertise the seminar; we cannot hold the seminar in a public place such as a major hotel and there is no question of having a senior DTI Minister to deliver a keynote speech as we have done in Japan and Korea. And of course, I do not know whether there are as many as 30 potential investors in HK that you know of or could find the time firstly to identify and then actually call on them to issue an invitation. Within these limitations I would like to suggest the following for your views on whether all this is feasible. If it is then
1. Your office would select the companies to invite. The main criteria for selection would be that they are already exporting to the EC and need to protect their share of the market. Attendance would be by personal invitation only and there would of course be no press.
2. The seminar would take place in your offices or in a similarly appropriate location and the numbers be limited to say 30 companies.
3.
The timing would either be in late October/early November to coincide with another event we are planning in Singapore, or in February to coincide with an event planned for Japan.
4. The objective would eventually be to invite companies who attend the seminar to visit the UK on an IBB sponsored mission.
I am sending a copy of this letter to Nigel Cox in Hong Kong Department and David Warren in FED for information although any comments they have would be welcome.
Your sincerely
Reddie
C E'A Ripley
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