ET MO
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
13 December, 1973
The Prime Minister's Visit
to China and Hong Kong
You asked us to consider possible action in the event of the Prime Minister deciding that he would have to shorten or postpone his visit to China and Hong Kong.
Mr. Royle had a conversation with the Chinese Ambassador this morning. The Ambassador asked Mr. Royle a number of questions about the Prime Minister's wishes and intentions, but did not say anything to suggest that his Government, or he himself, had any doubt that the Prime Minister would stick to his present plans. It is our strongly-held view, however, that the Chinese ought to be informed as soon as possible if there is any likelihood of the Prime Minister feeling obliged "to change his plans.
If the Prime Minister were to judge that he ought not to be absent from this country for as long as 13 days, we believe that he could visit China and Hong Kong for a much shorter period though this would be at the cost of seeing much less. of modern China. From the point of view, moreover, of our relations with China, it would be far preferable for the Prime Minister to visit that country for a shorter period than for him to postpone his visit or to cancel it altogether.
With this thought in mind, we have worked out the outline of a greatly abbreviated programme. It is as follows:-
Wednesday, 2 January. Depart London (either at 1000 hours,
as at present planned, or at any time up to 1800 hours).
Thursday, 3 January, Travel to Hong Kong via Akrotiri and
Gan (allowing more or less time for the stopover in Gan according to the time of departure from London).
The Lord Bridges,
10 Downing Street, S.W.1.
CONETDENTTAT
/Friday,
ря
Pric
14/12
(93)