UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE INTRA
TELNO INTRA 187
OF 1609OOZ JULY 92
INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, BANGKOK, PEKING, ATTC TAIPEI, FCO
HKS 406/1.
107.
027334
MDLIAN 9464
FCO FOR HKD AND FED
FOR JARDINE
YOUR TELNO INTRA 178
1.
PLEASE DO NOT THINK ME FLIP IN RESPONDING TO YOUR REQUEST BY
POINTING OUT THAT I TOOK OVER THIS OFFICE FROM PETER HEAP SOME TIME AGO. YOU ARE ASKING VAST QUESTIONS. MY PROBLEM IS THAT I HAVE INSUFFICIENT STAFF TO COPE WITH THE ROUTINE WORK AND I AM RETURNING TO LONDON TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE WHOLE FUTURE OF THIS OFFICE AND ITS
STAFFING NEEDS. JOHN MEADWAY IS IN THE PICTURE.
2. SO FAR AS THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE IS CONCERNED, I HAVE REPEATEDLY STRESSED THE CARDINAL IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUES RAISED IN YOUR TEL. IT IS A SUBJECT THAT HAS INTERESTED ME FOR YEARS AND AT MY LAST POST (TUNISIA) WE SUCCEEDED IN RAISING BRITAIN FROM BEING A NON-INVESTOR TO BEING THE LARGEST INVESTOR IN THE COUNTRY, WITH PRIVATE SUMS COMMITTED GREATER THAN ALL OTHER COUNTRIES COMBINED. BUT WE WILL NOT
MAKE MUCH PROGRESS HERE BY WRITING REPORTS. WE NEED TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR PRACTICAL ACTION, WORKING WITH THOSE COMPANIES WHICH ALREADY HAVE LARGE INVESTMENTS IN PLACE OR IN PROGRESS. WE MUST ALSO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON THE ROLE OF HONG KONG AS A SPRINGBOARD INTO
CHINA AND THE POSSIBILITIES FOR JOINT INVESTMENT WITH HONG KONG
BUSINESSMEN ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION. AS YOU SAY, EXPERIENCE IN SINGAPORE IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT. THERE IS ALREADY SOME CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THEM AND HMA BANGKOK HAS JUST SUGGESTED
THAT WE SHOULD BE BROUGHT IN ON IT.
3. I AM COPYING THIS TEL TO OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES AND WOULD
SUGGEST THAT THE NEXT STEP MIGHT BE TO FEED IN YOUR IDEAS TO THE
DISCUSSIONS WE ARE TO HAVE IN LONDON ON FRIDAY AND NEXT MONDAY.
PERHAPS JOHN MEADWAY COULD BE YOUR SPOKESMAN. 4. ALL THIS IS
PREPARATORY TO A VISIT TO HONG KONG NEXT WEEK BY THE MINISTER OF TRADE WHO WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO PURSUE THE QUESTION.
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