DAY
YYYY
RESTRICTED
151332
MDLIAN 3195
DISTRIBUTION
64
ΜΑΙΝ
49
HKD
FED
NEWS D
PUSD
24
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
ERD
ODA
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
RAD
ADDITIONAL
15
CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE CAOFF//MS DL CORNER CAOFF //MR SIBSON
CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE JONES BANK ENG// MR A CROCKETT BANK ENG//MR C ELSTON BANK ENG//MR O PAGE
HMT//MR MORTIMER
HMT//MR P GRAY
HMT//MR J P MCINTYRE
DTI//MINISTER
DTI//PEP DTI//0T2
DTI//0T2/2D
ECGD
NNNN
4
PAGE RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
WAB (2011
RESTRICTED
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY INTRA
TELNO INTRA 17
OF 211045Z JANUARY 93
RECI
TRY
25 JAN 1993
IMUL
GISTRY son Taken
@
AND TO PRIORITY ODA, BANK OF ENGLAND HIM TREASURY, PEKING AND TO PRIORITY ATTC TAIWAN, SINGAPORE, WASHINGTON, LISBON
074227
MDLIAN 8807
MY TELNO 19: BUSINESS ROUND-UP: THE AIRPORT.
SUMMARY
1.
CLARIFICATION OF THE BUSINESS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE AIRPORT PROBLEM. CHECK LAP KOK IS NEEDED, THOUGH NOT URGENTLY, AND THE DELAYS COULD BE TO OUR ADVANTAGE.
DETAIL
2.
IN MY TELNO 19 (PARA 6 TO 12) I ATTEMPTED TO SUMMARISE THE PICTURE AS SEEN IN THE SENIOR LEVELS OF THE HONG KONG BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THIS WAS A DISTILLATION OF MANY DISCUSSIONS OVER RECENT WEEKS.
3. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE MADE CLEAR IS THAT THE CHINESE DO INDEED SEEM TO WANT A NEW AIRPORT (THOUGH SEVERAL HONG KONG PROPERTY DEVELOPERS WOULD BE HAPPY TO TURN IT INTO A SATELLITE TOWN) BUT THEY ARE NOT SEEN TO BE UNDER ANY PRESSURE TO TAKE EARLY
DECISIONS.
for when?
4.
THE KEY PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE ABSENCE OF A COHERENT PLAN FOR PASSENGERS FROM THE HINTERLAND TO GET TO CHEK LAP KOK, PLUS A LOWER CALCULATION OF THE CARGO NEEDS. IT IS THE VIEW OF BUSINESS LEADERS THAT THESE STUDIES ARE ESSENTIAL IF THE AIRPORT IS TO BE A SUCCESS AND IF THE CHINESE ARE TO BE CONVINCED THAT WHEN HONG KONG REVERTS TO THEIR SOVEREIGNTY, PASSENGERS FROM CHINA ARE NOT TREATED LIKE SECOND CLASS CUSTOMERS, E.G. HAVING TO MAKE THEIR WAY INTO CENTRAL AND KOWLOON IN ORDER TO FLY OUT, WALKING LONG DISTANCES IN THE PROCESS.
5.
IT MAY BE THAT SUCH CALCULATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT NEITHER I NOR OTHERS TO WHOM I HAVE SPOKEN IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HAS YET SEEN THE DATA.
He would
enque from
ний
PAGE 1 RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
07 27
MDLIAN 8807
THE OLD GORDON WU PLAN FOR AN AIRPORT IN A DIFFERENT SITE HAS BEEN OVERTAKEN BY TIME AND IS DEAD.
6"
7.
MY PRINCIPAL CONCERN IS THAT WE SHOULD MAKE A REASONED ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED FOR CREDIT FOR THE TERMINAL CONTRACT. IN PARTICULAR, WE MUST AVOID ALLOCATING CREDIT FOR THAT, THEREBY MISSING MORE IMMEDIATE BUSINESS IN CHINA. MY HUNCH CONTINUES TO BE THAT DELAY WILL PLAY INTO THE HANDS OF AMEC WHOSE PROPOSAL FOR MODULARISED CONSTRUCTION DRAWING ON THEIR VARIOUS FACILITIES AROUND THE PEARL RIVER DELTA WILL INCREASE THEIR CHANCES OF SUCCESS AS TIME DRAGS ON. WE ARE IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH AMEC WHO SEEM RELAXED ABOUT THE SITUATION AND ARE UTILISING THE TIME TO PREPARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE POSSIBLE BID. THEIR MAINLAND CHINESE PARTNERS REMAIN KEEN BUT IN A HOLDING PATTERN ON ORDERS FROM PEKING. THAT IS IN ITSELF ENCOURAGING.
DAY
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
50
HKD
FED
NAD
JOINT DIRECTORATE
ERD
DISTRIBUTION
56
NEWS D
INFO D
PS/BARONESS CHALKER
MR HUM
MR AINSCROW
ADDITIONAL
6
DTI//PS/MINISTER FOR TRADE
DTI//PEP/HD
BANKE
HMT
DTI//OT2
DTI//OT2/2D
NNNN
PAGE
RESTRICTED
2
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.