TNAG-2978-FCO40-1470-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1982 — Page 5

GR 500

CONFIDENTAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 1513232 DEC 82

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1855 OF 15 DECEMBER

FROM D.C. BRAY, SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS

FOLLOWING FOR SIR JACK CATER

REF.: HAB/ID 4/1411/C

HKK 121/6

HONG KONG 1934 : HARRODS' PROMOTION

TB22/10

1522/12

NL

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF 19 NOVEMBER 1982 CONCERNING THE OUTLINE PROGRAMME OF EVENTS IN LONDON IN CONNECTION WITH THE

HARRODS' HONG KONG PROMOTION IN MARCH 1984.

RON BOXALL DID DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING, MYSELF, WHILE HE WAS HERE. IN PRINCIPLE ALL EXPRESSED, ACCORDING TO HIM, INTEREST IN AND SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT. I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SCHEME GO AHEAD.

IN THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S ABSENCE, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO

SOUND OUT H.E. ON THE OUTLINE PROPOSALS. HE EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN OVER THE TIMING. THE SPRING OF 1984 IS A POSSIBLE DATE

FOR A GENERAL ELECTION, AND OUR EFFORTS WOULD LOSE MUCH OF

THEIR IMPACT IF MPS WERE OUT OF TOWN AND PREOCCUPIED WITH THEIR OWN AFFAIRS. MOREOVER WHILE IT SEEMS LIKELY NOW THAT AN EXERCISE

OF THIS NATURE WOULD BE HELPFUL AT THAT TIME IN THE CONTEXT OF

THE CONTINUING TIES BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG, WE SHOULD

PUT DOWN THE MARKER THAT THE TALKS IN PEKING MIGHT ALSO HAVE AN

EFFECT ON THE TIMING.

WE ALSO NEED TO SET DOWN THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SORT OF PROGRAMME ENVISAGED IN RON BOXALL'S MEMORANDUM OF 12 NOVEMBER. THE HARRODS PROMOTION IS TRADE ORIENTED - DIRECTED AT CONSUMERS AND INDIRECTLY AT BUYERS AND TOURISTS. WHO WERE THE TARGETS FOR THE SUPPORTING

EVENTS? | SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH RON BOXALL, BUT I AM

AFRAID WE TALKED ONLY ABOUT HOW TO PUT ON THE SHOW. I AM NOW

PROPOSING TO PUT A PAPER TO THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S COMMITTEE.

WOULD YOU WISH US TO SAY MORE IN THAT CONTEXT THAN THAT THE

PROPOSALS SHOULD AIM TO BUILD UP A RESERVOIR OF GOODWILL TOWARDS

HONG KONG? CAN WE SAY SOMETHING MORE ABOUT TARGETS?

I DO NOT THINK WE SHALL NEED IN THAT PAPER TO GO INTO FINANCING IN GREAT DETAIL, BUT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE SUM OF 1.3

MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN PROVISIONALLY SUGGESTED FOR THE ANNUAL

CONFIDEN HAL

/PROMOMON

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