CONFIDENTIAL
065054 MDHIAN 6121
THE CHINESE ALLOW THE GROUND AT CHEP LAP KOK TO BE PREPARED? BECAUSE IT COULD ALWAYS BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE. SO GOES THINKING IN SOME TOP-LEVEL BUSINESS CIRCLES.
12. WE SHOULD EXPLORE CHINESE THINKING FURTHER. I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SHENZHEN UNIVERSITY BY THE BUSINESS SCHOOL TO GIVE A TALK ON HOW WE SEE THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AS A WORLD FINANCIAL CENTRE AND JOIN A SERIES OF SEMINARS. SUBJECT TO HMA PEKING'S AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER'S VIEWS, WE MIGHT CONSIDER TWINING SHENZHEN WITH BIRMINGHAM (OR CANTON) IN PREPARATION FOR MR NEEDHAM'S PLAN OF R A YEAR OF THE MIDLANDS IN 1995. THAT WILL HELP US SEE THE ISSUES IN ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE AND PERHAPS ALSO HELP WITH SOLUTIONS.
13. TO MY MIND THE BIGGEST ISSUE OF ALL IS NOT AIRPORTS BUT THE FUEL FOR THE RASH OF POWER STATIONS THAT IS SPREADING AROUND THE PEARL RIVER DELTA. ALREADY ACID RAIN IS AFFECTING RICE PRODUCTION, AND THE CHINESE TOOK PRE-EMPTIVE ACTION BY BUILDING DAYA BAY. THEY WILL INEVITABLY HAVE TO TURN TO LNG IT IS THE ONLY FUEL THAT WILL SAVE THEIR CROPS AND THEY ARE WELL ADVANCED IN TALKING TO SHELL WHO ARE BRINGING IN POWERGEN. GORDON WU, AGAIN, IS WELL UP ON ALL THIS. BLACK POINT WILL HAVE TO TURN TO LNG EVENTUALLY IF IT IS TO REACH ITS 6000 MW PLANNED CAPACITY, SINCE HAINAN GAS IS INSUFFICIENT. THIS IS, OF COURSE, BARRING MAJOR NEW FINDS.
14. THIS IS PRE-EMINENTLY AN AREA OF MAJOR BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTEREST FOR US TO DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE AND HONG KONG.
STRATEGY
15. EXPLANATORY BRIEFINGS TO PRESENT MR NEEDHAM'S PROPOSALS IN DETAIL HAVE GONE WELL. STRONG SUPPORT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED FROM THE LEADERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY LI KA-SHING'S PEOPLE. I WENT OVER THE GROUND WITH THE MINISTER-COUNSELLOR AT THE NCNA IN A COURTESY CALL ON 18/1 AND HE REACTED WELL, OFFERING TO FACILITATE APPOINTMENTS IN GUANGZHOU. (SEPARATE TEL).
16. I ALSO WENT OVER THE GROUND IN A TWO HOUR TALK WITH THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU OVER THE WEEKEND. HIS ANALYSIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ABOVE AND IS STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE. (DETAILS IN SEPARATE
TEL).
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