TNAG-2617-FCO40-3808-Visit-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1992 — Page 42

will be many more examples to mention on future visits.

Those Hong Kong companies who have already made their move

to the UK have been attracted by the sound infrastructure, skilled workforce, relatively low and falling inflation.

Also by the strategic benefits of establishing a base in the UK from which to operate in the EC.// Hope you will encourage business partners here to think UK when investing overseas.

Future Consulate General

My second main point is that British interests in Hong Kong will not finish in 1997. We are already planning for our

long-term future presence here: on a scale that befits

Britain's history and influence

We now have an excellent site for the construction of the

future British Consulate General - Colvin House site, above

the impressive Pacific Place development and adjacent to the

Hong Kong Park. am grateful to Swire Properties and the

Hong Kong Government for providing two such attractive

backdrops for our own impressive new building.

In line with the continuing importance of Hong Kong to the United Kingdom, and the size of the task of representing and

supporting our interests here, the new Consulate General

will be substantial. It will include some 60 UK-based and

200 local, Hong Kong staff, making it certainly the largest

British Consulate General in the world and one of the

largest of any our posts it will also house a substantial British Council English language teaching operation: another practical way of keeping up the British link.

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The UK's Responsibility to Hong Kong

My third point is that Britain is determined to fulfil its

responsibilities to Hong Kong until 1997. You will recall

that we undertook in the Joint Declaration to administer

!

JM1ABU/3

SLM