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15.
Part of the preparation for the SBTC and his staff to
play a full political role after 1997 will be ensuring that
they are adequately briefed on all aspects of British
interests in Hong Kong. It would be helpful on this for the
BTC to have its own separate secure communications well
before 1997 (at present these pass physically through
Government House). In terms of staffing:
- a new DS5 post as the core of the future chancery section
should be created by about 1995. This should be a Chinese
language speaking post to enable the officer to develop a
wide range of contacts in Hong Kong. In advance of 1997,
the job description should nominally be economic/commercial.
The next Deputy SBTC (due to take over in 1995) should be
a fast stream DS4 who could also take on some political work
in the mission.
- With the completion of the new building, (and the move of UKRep JLG into it, there should be some scope for consolidation between the two missions and their political work. The burden of political reporting on Hong Kong should
transfer at that stage to the BTC. UKRep JLG are likely to
be very busy in the period immediately before and after
1997, and will in any case cease to exist in the year 2000.
Coordination between these two missions will become more
important in the years up to 1997.
Apart from UKREP JLG, the only other possible source of DS
manpower already in Hong Kong to staff the future Chancery would be the DS4 Political Adviser and his DS5 Deputy. But
as 1997 approaches, the Political Adviser's staff will
increasingly be preoccupied with assisting the Governor with the final stage of British rule, (and are expected to move to Government House). They will therefore be seen in
Chinese eyes as agents of the departing colonial authority.
Better (symbolically) that they should leave Hong Kong with
the Governor, and the BCG should draw its future chancery
JM1ACK/7
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