Mr Samuel
HKCK 000/!
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Action Texen
CONFIDENTIAL
No
Far Eastern Dept
OID WORK ON CHINA
1. We spoke some time ago and agreed that it would be valuable if we could discuss OID work on China so as to be sure that it took account of our current (and future) relations with that country. In order to focus on this subject it might be helpful if I set down the following:-
BACKGROUND
2.
A. Assets: Staff
At present work in OID on China is supervised by the
Under the OID Regional Adviser (Grade 5) who covers Asia. Hanse Inspectors' recommendations, the Regional Adviser will in future cover the Americas as well (the other Regional Advisers being for Europe and for Africa and the Middle East).
3. The desk officer is a grade 9 (main stream) who has served in Peking and Tokyo and speaks both Chinese and Japanese. He covers China/Japan/Korea but the vast bulk of his time is taken up with China.
4.
B. Sources: PRU
Apart from SWB and main newspapers, the main source is the material produced by Mr Yi of the Press Research Unit in Hong Kong (the residual office set up at the demise of the RIO to continue a systematic study of the Chinese Press). The material also goes in its unprocessed form to our Embassy in Peking, the Political Adviser Hong Kong and to the Americans and Australians also in Hong Kong. OID passes copies to FED and Cabinet Office Assessments Staff.
5.
C. Product:
China Record
The principal series of papers on China produced by OID is "China Record" which is based on the PRU product. It is distributed widely in Hong Kong and through Posts (including UK Delegation NATO, Peking and Washington) throughout the world. It formerly was also distributed to interested recipients in the
UK.
CONFIDENTIAL
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