TNAG-2477-FCO40-3607-The-Hong-Kong-Association-1992 — Page 52

Mr Burns

PS/Mr Goodlad

CONFIDENTIAL

MMY 121/3

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FROM: P F Ricketts, HKD

DATE: 6 May 1992

cc: Sir J Coles

HONG KONG ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE LUNCH: 8 MAY

1. You asked for any comments in preparation for Mr Goodlad's lunch with the Hong Kong Association Committee.

2.

Mr Henry Keswick is very much the dominant force in the Hong Kong Association. Although the Swires also normally attend the lunches, Mr Keswick is in the chair and tends to lead the discussion.

3.

The

The Minister knows Mr Keswick well. He has sometimes in the past used these lunches as a platform to sound off against certain aspects of HMG or HKG policy. But I would expect him to be more forward-looking on this occasion. Committee had the new Senior British Trade Commissioner, Mr Stephen Day, to lunch last week, and I understand that this session went very well. They will also be buoyed up by the news on the contract for the bridge in Hong Kong (Jardines have an interest in the Anglo-Japanese consortium through their subsidiary in Hong Kong, Gammon). Coming on top of the other major contracts won by British industry in Hong Kong recently (the Shajaio C power station by GEC-Alsthom worth some £550 million, and Rolls Royce engines

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