}
CONFIDENTIAL
•
4
2. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MAJOR CULTURAL EVENTS THIS YEAR A CHINESE
CULTURAL TREASURE S EXHIBITION AND THE VISIT OF THE PERFORMING A COMPANY OF CHINA - THROUGH WHICH THE CHINESE HAVE SOUGHT, AND BE GIVEN, RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH WE ATTACH TO OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA. A MORE DIRECTLY POLITICAL GESTURE WAS MADE ON 7 SEPTEMBER WHEN THE NEWLY-ARRIVED HEAD OF THE LOCAL BRANCH OF THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY, WANG KUANG, CALLED ON ME AT HIS. °. REQUEST. THIS IS A FIRST TIME.
3. THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA'S POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG ARE
PART OF THE REDEFINITION OF NATIONAL GOALS SINCE MAO'S DEATH,
PARTICULARLY THE COMMITMENT TO THE RAPID MODERNISATION OF CHINA'S ECONOMY. HONG KONG HAS A MAJOR ROLE IN THIS, AS A SOURCE OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN MORE FLEXIBLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH WESTERN COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
4. THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE NOT SURPRISING BUT THEY HAVE BEEN
FAIRLY RAPID AND MAY WELL REFLECT CAREFUL DECISIONS IN PEKING CONCERNING NEW ASPECTS OF A RELATIONSHIP WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SPECIAL ONE FOR CHINA. THEY FOLLOW SEVERAL YEARS OF INCREASED
CHINESE INVESTMENT, AND ALSO RECIPROCAL MOVES BY MYSELF AND THE DIRECTOR, AND BY THE POLITICAL ADVISER AND NCNA STAFF AND OCCASIONALLY OFFICIALS IN CANTON,
MACLEHOSE
FILES
FED
PS
HK & GD
PS/TORD GORONWY
PUSD
ROBERTS
NEWS D OID
PS/PUS
MR MURRAY
2
૧
CONFIDENTIAL
4