This is set 12 months before the UK handed Hong Kong back to China.
The only episode of Cracker to be set overseas, in this case, (British) Hong Kong.
Wise is jetlagged upon arrival. Hong Kong is around 13 hours away from the UK. It is GMT +8.
At 37.40, a July 1996 calendar is shown but the July page is facing away from the desk so is likely to actually be February of that year.