HKC 020/3
CONFIDENT I AL
FROM:
H LI
DATE:
CC:
CM
Da vi es
Far Eastern Department
5 May 1992
Sir J Coles
Mr Ricketts, HKD Mr Madden, SED
Mr Sawer, ECD (P)
Mr Burns
PS/Mr Goodlad
PS
MACAO
Mh Rate No. Dr Markin op.cn.
1. I attach Mr Heap's teino 122 following his valedictory. visit to Macao, in case Ministers would be interested.
2. As Mr Heap comments, it is easy to neglect Macao and British interests there are very small compared with those in Hong Kong. There are nevertheless certain British commercial and banking interests and, in particular, British companies have been pursuing elements of the airport de velopment. The skyline of Macao, like that of Hong Kong, has changed dramatically in recent years. Macao's hinterland in Zhuhai has also seen the sort of ex ponential growth with which we are more Shenzhen.
familiar in respect of
3. Because of its small size and its slightly unsavoury reputation (gambling, the Gold Syndicate, prostitution), Macao suffered from relative UK official neglect after the Consulate-General was closed (following Red Guard attacks) in 1967. By contrast, during Mr Heap's tenure our profile in the territory has been raised. Two British Ministers, Mr Maude in 1990 and Lord Caithness in 1991, as well as the Duke of Kent on BOTB business, have visited Macao in the last two years,
many years.
the first such high-level visitors for very
4. We share with Portugal in political terms the parallel with the cession of sovereignty over Hong Kong. Macao has provided us with a point in common with Portugal in relation to China over the last decade. The Portuguese have made common cause with us within the Community when it came to explaining the importance which our
our two Governments attached
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HD1 AQC
CONFIDENTIAL
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