TNAG-2968-FCO40-4247-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-inclusion-of--1993 — Page 3

31-DEC-1983

BRITISH TRADE COM

P.01

69

FAX TRANSMISSION

Our Reference:

16 December 1993

Ms D Barnes-Jones HKD, FCO

Fax no 270 3387.

Page 1 of 3

Dear Debbie,

HUD 406/13

2 9 DEC 1993

ORSK OFFIC

INDEA

British

Trade Commission Hong Kong

9th Floor, Bank of America Tower, 112 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong

1

MailiAddress: GPO Box No 528, Hong Kong

Telephone: 523 0176

Telex: HX 78081 (a/b 72031 UKTRA HX) Facsimile: (852) 845 2870

Cable Address: UK TRADE, Hong Kong

Roh please, lagging neys.

Тина Most 29/12.

(60

CONSULATE-GENERAL/BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

57

Thank you for your letter of 23 November with which you enclosed Alan Wootton's minute to you of 17 November and for a copy of your minute of 14 December to Alex Smith.

67

You are certainly reflecting our views in arguing against the inclusion of a "land value" element in the rent calculation. While the Treasury line on including such an element, even when land is provided free of charge, has some validity in cases

at the very concerning commercial organisations, it must, least, be questionable that it is right to apply the general rule in this case.

The bulk of

As you know, we see the Chamber's activities as complementary to our own. We are now working (with the full support of Mr Needham) closely with the Chamber on the Hong Kong market plan and we will look to the Chamber to work just as vigorously as this office in promoting the UK's commercial objectives in this market. The Chamber, although admittedly it will continue to seek to generate revenue to finance new schemes and other initiatives, is not a profit making organisation. its revenue will continue to come from its own membership and will be used in most part to project its membership' s interests. But it will also take on, working closely with the commercial section of the Consulate-General, a wider export promotion remit and it is in this particular area that the Chamber will be most helpful in achieving our overall commercial objectives. I do not doubt that the

Work

Consulate-General will find export promotion work done by a strong and influential Chamber immensely supportive. which the Chamber does for the greater good and not directly in connection with the immediate interests of its membership would seem worthy of some sort of recognition.

Every effort is made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions or misleading statements in that information caused by negligence or otherwise and no responsibility is accepted in regard to the standing of any firms, companies or

individuals mentioned.