CONFIDENTIAL
065054
21
MDHIAN
AIRPORT
6. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR AN EARLY BREAK IN THE AIRPORT LOG-JAM. THE IMPRESSION IS THAT THE STAND-OFF HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CALLABLE EQUITY OR WHATEVER BUT A QUESTIONING ON THE CHINESE PART OF ITS PLACE IN THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN FOR THE DELTA.
7. WE CAN HARDLY BE SURPRISED BY THIS WHEN HONG KONG'S TOP ENTREPRENEUR/ENGINEER, GORDON WU (BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR OF 1991) BELIEVES PASSIONATELY THAT THE AIRPORT IS EXPENSIVE AND MISCONCEIVED. HE IS BUILDING THE DUAL CARRIAGEWAY FROM HONG KONG TO CANTON, THE RING-ROAD AROUND CANTON AND TWO POWER STATIONS AT SHAJIAO (WITH USD600 MILLION OF BRITISH EQUIPMENT. HE IS AMONG BRITAIN'S AND CHINA'S GREATEST FRIENDS.
THE AIRPORT/METRO CONNECTION
8. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE SHOULD NOT TELL THE CHINESE THAT WE KNOW BETTER THAN THEM HOW MANY CARS ARE NEEDED ON THEIR NEW METRO. SOME OF THEM HAVE NO DOUBT TRAVELLED ON THE LONDON UNDERGROUND. LET US SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND DISCUSS WITH PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW, NAMELY THE MTRC, AND ARMED WITH ALL THE DATA, INCLUDING ODA REPORTS, REACH A CONSENSUS. I BRIEFED THE ODA TEAM IN THIS SENSE ON THEIR WAY THROUGH HONG KONG AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT AND THE HELPFUL ROLE THEY CAN PLAY.
9. IF WE CAN ESTABLISH A GENUINE DIALOGUE ON THE METRO, IT WILL PROVIDE LESSONS FOR THE AIRPORT. I AM CONFIDENT WE CAN. ALL THE EVIDENCE FROM COMPANIES INVESTING IN MAJOR CHINESE PROJECTS
POINTS THAT WAY.
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SAR
10. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHERE THE CHINESE FORESEE THE ECONOMIC BOUNDARIES OF THE FUTURE SAR EFFECTIVELY TO LIE. ALREADY THE BORDER BETWEEN SHENZHEN AND CHINA IS MORE EVIDENT THAN THAT BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG. A BODY OF INFORMED OPINION BELIEVES THAT CHINA HAS A CREDIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN IN WHICH HONG KONG'S ROLE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES CAPITAL CONTINUES TO EXPAND, WHILE THE HINTERLAND WILL BE (AS IT VIRTUALLY IS NOW) ITS
MANUFACTURING ZONE.
11. UNDER THIS THEORY THERE ARE DISTINCT BUT COMPLEMENTARY ROLES FOR THE NEW SHENZHEN AIRPORT (PRINCIPALLY CARGO), MACAU (WHERE THE AIRPORT IS GOING AHEAD) AND KAI TAK. BUT IS THERE A PLACE FOR ANOTHER THAT ATTEMPTS TO DO ALL THE JOBS IN ONE SITE? WHY WOULD
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.