WHICH THERE WAS PROVISION FOR SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION WITH M
STER
OF STATE FOR INDUSTRY) AND THAT THE OSLO MEETING APPEARS TO HAVE
LED TO TALKS WITH BRITISH SHIPBUILDERS BEING GIVEN SECOND PLACE AND
LEFT OVER TO FINAL AFTERNOON OF A THREE DAY PROGRAMME, WITH NOTHING TO DO ON THE SECOND DAY. THIS HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR
NEWBIGGING TO CONVINCE HIS CHINESE COLLEAGUES THAT WE ARE PREPARED
TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES THOROUGHLY.
4. IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP IF A START COULD BE MADE ON DISCUSIONS
WITH BRITISH SHIPBUILDERS ON THE MORNING OF THIRD DAY AS THIS
WOULD LEAVE SPARE TIME FOR ANY FOLLOW UP. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL
IF MEETINGS COULD BE ARRANGED ON THE TUESDAY WITH SOME OF THE
MAJOR BRITISH CHARTERERS. THE PROGRAMME APPEARS TO ENVISAGE ABOUT
A QUARTER OF AN HOUR AT THE MOST WITH THE MINISTER OF STATE. I WOULD NOT WISH TO EXAGGERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VISIT (AND NEWBIGGING IS NOT SUGGESTING THAT ANYONE IS GOING TO ORDER SHIPS
ON A THREE-DAY VISIT) BUT NEITHER WOULD I WISH THE LONGER TERM POSSIBILITIES TO BE UNDERESTIMATED. ''FACE'', AS YOU KNOW, IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CHINESE AND IF THE MINISTER COULD SPARE A LITTLE
MORE TIME, IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
5. ON NON SHIPPING MATTERS NEWBIGGING WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN HOW
GROUPS LIKE JARDINES CAN HELP IMPROVE BRITAIN'S EXPORT PERFORMANCE, NOT ONLY TO HONG KONG BUT ELSEWHERE. IF HE COULD RAISE THIS INITIALLY WITH SIR PETER THORNTON, APPROPRIATE ARRANGE-
MENTS COULD BE MADE FOR ANY NECESSARY FOLLOW UP DISCUSSIONS. IN
ORDER TO TAKE UP AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE OF SIR PETER'S TIME, I HAD SUGGESTED THAT NEWBIGGING COULD RAISE THIS IN JOINT COURTESY
CALL WITH DANIEL KOO, WHO IS NOT TOO COHERENT AT THE BEST OF TIMES. HOWEVER, YOU MAY THINK A SEPARATE MEETING MORE APPROPRIATE.
6. I HOPE WE CAN HAVE FINAL PROGRAMME BY WEDNESDAY.
KINNEAR
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