CONFIDENTIAL
164534
MDLIAN 1096
51
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 777
OF 121055Z MARCH 92
нка 18213
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
.46
TOP COPY Q DIST?
Pa
13/3
YOUR TELNO 458: CONTRACT FOR DESIGN OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL
BUILDING: COMMENTS BY LU PING.
1. WE CONSIDERED WITH UKREP JLG WHETHER WE SHOULD BRIEF THE CHINESE INFORMALLY, BEFORE A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT, ON THE CONTRACT FOR THE DESIGN OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING. WE DECIDED AGAINST THIS. WE BELIEVED THAT IF WE HAD DONE THIS AT SHORT NOTICE THE CHINESE WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN IT AS A HELPFUL COURTESY. THEY NEVER APPRECIATE SHORT NOTICE OF ANY DEVELOPMENT, SUSPECTING THAT THEY WERE BEING BOUNCED. TO HAVE GIVEN THEM LONG NOTICE WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPRACTICAL. NOR HAVE WE GIVEN THEM NOTICE OF ANY OTHER CONTRACTS OF THIS KIND. TO HAVE SINGLED THIS ONE OUT WOULD HAVE LED THEM TO CONCLUDE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THIS CONTRACT WHICH WE WERE TRYING TO COVER UP.
2. IT IS WORTH BEARING IN MIND THE REPEATED CHINESE ASSURANCE DURING THE AIRPORT NEGOTIATIONS THAT A DECISION ON WHETHER COMPANY X OR COMPANY Y WAS AWARDED A PARTICULAR CONTRACT WOULD BE ENTIRELY A MATTER FOR THE HKG. LU PING MADE SOME EASY POINTS ON THE AIRPORT DESIGN CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THE PRESS REPORTS THAT THE MOTT BID WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE. HIS COMMENTS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE ALL-TOO-FAMILIAR CHINESE SUSPICIONS THAT THE 'BRITISH' WILL TRY TO AWARD THEMSELVES AS MANY CONTRACTS AS POSSIBLE BEFORE 1997 CA MYTH WHICH RUNS STRONGLY IN HONG KONG AS WELL). BUT EVEN LU PING MADE NO REQUEST THAT THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE INFORMED OF SUCH AWARDS. HE ONLY TOOK THE SOFT OPTION OF SAYING THAT THE HKG SHOULD EXPLAIN THEIR DECISION TO THE AIRPORT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE AND THE HONG KONG PEOPLE. THE PAA, WHOSE DECISION IT WAS, HAD OF COURSE ALREADY DONE BOTH.
3.
A FURTHER POINT IS THAT THE CHINESE WERE OF COURSE IN A POSITION TO BE FULLY AWARE OF THE BACKGROUND TO THE AWARD THROUGH THE PRESENCE ON THE PAA OF MR. SHU OF THE BANK OF CHINA GROUP. THE VERY DETAILED AND CAREFUL PROCESS OF SELECTION BY THE PAA HAD, I AM TOLD, BEEN APPROVED AT EVERY STAGE BY THE BOARD, OF WHICH SHU IS A MEMBER.
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