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TELEGRAMS, “ELECTRICITY, WESTCENT.”
TELEPHONE, TEMPLE BAR 8000.
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311
І сору
F-78
MAGNET HOUSE,
24. 04 MAY 1945
KINGSWAY,
LONDON, W.C.2..
18/5/1945.
The Under-Secretary of State
Foreign Office. London.S.W.1.
Dear Sir
The future trade of Hong Kong.
It is generally agreed by former residents of the Crown Colony of Hong Kong that the future prospects for British trade in the Colony are most favourable. Apart from the domestic requirements of the Colony itself, the industrial awakening of China will lead to the importation through Hong Kong into China of vast quantities of goods of practically every description.
Owing to the relinquishment of extra-territorial rights in China by the British and American governments it is reasonable to assume that the Foreign population of Hong Kong (of other than Chinese race) will be considerably increased, owing to the security afforded by residence under the protection of the British Crown and of British Law.
For many years therefore there will be a very large demand for goods for absorption in the Colony itself.
This trade however will be small in comparison with the volume of goods in transit through the Colony to China.
During the period immediately preceding the Japanese attack on China in 1937, the Chinese Government did everything in their power to encourage manufacturing in the country, and they adjusted the Chinese Maritime Customs tariff to give a measure of protection to local manufacturers. The result of this policy was that a large number of factories were built in China by both Chinese and Foreign interests. The International Settlement at Shanghai abounds with factories turning out all classes of goods, from textiles to transformers.
Among the many British and American firms who established and operated local factories were The Calico Printers Association, Patons & Baldwins, The British Cigarette Co., Imperial Chemical Industries, Lever Bros., The General Electric Co. of America, The National Carbon Co.of America, and The General Electric Co.Ltd. of England. The General Electric Co.Ltd. of England, whom the writer has represented in Hong Kong and China for many years, operated a factory for the manufacture of three phase electric motors; and it is
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