TNAG-2700-FCO40-3906-Leading-personalities-in-Hong-Kong--1993-1993 — Page 16

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 7

ADVANCE COPY

HUB 010 низ

OF 040946Z JANUARY 93

RECE

INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG

INDE

FOR HKD

YRTELNO 1764: MR STEPHEN POON

DES

- 6 JAN 1992

1084

022266

MDADAN 6867

pa

Pasonalită Report Mine Sander

4/.

1. YOU HAVE THE LPR ON STEPHEN POON. IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION THERE, HE HAS DECLARED TO LEGCO INTERESTS AS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BRIGHT WORLD ENTERPRISE LTD., AND IS ON THE BOARD OF FOUR SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES. HE ALSO IS ON THE BOARD OF

THE INTERNATIONAL BANK OF ASIA.

2. WE UNDERSTAND (FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF CHINA LIGHT AND POWER)

THAT POON HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BLACK POINT POWER STATION

PROJECT. ALTHOUGH STILL A NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CLP HE WILL

BE LEAVING THE BOARD SHORTLY BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

3. HE IS, HOWEVER, HELPING TO DEVELOP TWO POWER STATIONS IN CHINA IN COLLABORATION WITH LI KA-SHING. WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, BUT PRESUMABLY DTI WILL BE KEEN TO INTEREST POON IN UK SUPPLIERS OF GENERATING AND TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT, AND CONSULTANCY SERVICES.

4. POLITICALLY STEPHEN POON IS A CORE MEMBER OF THE CRC, THOUGH HE HAS KEPT A FAIRLY LOW PUBLIC PROFILE IN THE DISCUSSION OF MY CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS. HE DID NOT SPEAK ON JIMMY MCGREGOR'S MOTION DEBATE ON 14 OCTOBER: NOR ON MARTIN LEE'S ADJOURNMENT DEBATE OF 9 DECEMBER. HE DID SPEAK ON CHRISTINE LOH'S MOTION DEBATE ON 11 NOVEMBER, TAKING A 'PRO CONVERGENCE' LINE. HE VOTED FOR CHIM PUI-CHUNG'S AMENDMENT (CALLING FOR CONVERGENCE AND SMOOTH TRANSITION) AND AGAINST BOTH CHRISTINE LOH'S ORIGINAL MOTION AND JIMMY MCGREGOR'S AMENDMENT.

5. WE HAVE NO SPECIAL POINTS FOR THE MINISTER TO MAKE TO POON. HE

IS PROBABLY NOT RIPE FOR CONVERSION. THE BEST POINT TO PRESS HIM WITH WILL BE THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT LIKE MY PROPOSALS SHOULD NOT JUST COMPLAIN, BUT PUT FORWARD SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVES. SO FAR THE

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CONFIDENTIAL