TNAG-2527-FCO40-3696-Hong-Kong-China-Relations-Committee-1992 — Page 34

CONFIDENTIAL

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for a few days before they could enter the port to load and unload the goods - it was necessary to build the new port at Dayao Bay in conjunction with development of the ETDZ. The first phase of the new port at Dayao Bay, listed as the nation's key project (重點計劃 ), had proceeded smoothly. Four new container and general purpose berths would be completed by the end of 1991, which would add Dalian's annual cargo handling capacity by 2.6 million tonnes. With 10 additional berths on completion of the Phase I development of Dayao Bay, Dalian's annual cargo handling capacity would increase

to 60 -80 million tonnes.

78.

The delegation then had the opportunity of touring the old port by ferry. We

noticed that as the old port was exposed to strong northeasterly winds in winter, it had to

be protected by embankments. The port looked as busy and as congested as Qingdao, and

many vessels had to berth in the relatively unprotected open sea outside the embankment

area probably to wait for their turn to use the loading facilities of the inner old port. The

northern shore of the harbour was taken up by a power plant and heavy industries like iron

and steel works and petrochemical plants and there was a rather unpleasant sight of effluent

emitting from these operations, heavily polluting the water of the harbour.

Round-up Session with the Mayor of Dalian

79.

The delegation had three meetings with Mayor Wei Fuhai during our four-day visit in Dalian, the first one in the dinner reception he hosted on our arrival, the second in a return lunch hosted by Mr. Barma the following day, and the third one after our ferry tour. The last meeting was not originally scheduled and was added as a special round-up session at the mayor's insistence. During the meeting, we were pressed for critical comments on what we had seen. We first gave him an account of the industrial promotion activities of the Department, the operation of the One-Stop Unit and the Overseas Liaison Offices. We then suggested to him that official brochures on investment conditions and. development plans would impress potential overseas investors more if they could cut out political slogans

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