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RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND THE CHINESE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HELD AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY, 11 OCTOBER 1978, AT 10.45 AM
Present
The Rt Hon Dr David Owen MP
The Rt Hon The Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Sir Michael Palliser
HE Mr P Cradock
Mr HA H Cortazzi
Mr D F Murray
Mr G G H Walden
Mr R C Samuel
Mr RE Allen
.)
1.
HE Mr Huang Hua
HE Mr Sung Chih-kuang
Mrs Ho Li-liang (Mrs Huang Hua) HE Mr Ke Hua
Mr Chiang En-chu (Interpreter) Mr Tan Chia lun
Mr Cheng Ho-kang Mr Chou Ku-fei Mr Hu Ting-yi
Mr Cheng Wan-chen
Dr Owen said that he had been able to welcome Mr Huang at dinner the previous evening but this was Mr Huang's formal welcome to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He suggested that bilateral matters should be left to their second meeting later in the week after Mr Huang had met some of Dr Owen's Ministerial colleagues: and they should talk now about international political issues which could, if necessary, be carried over to the first part of their second meeting. Dr Owen hoped that they would not restrict themselves to formal statements of views but have an exchange of views. He knew from his previous meetings with Mr Huang that Mr Huang would also welcome this approach. He suggested that they might start with global strategic issues including questions of peace and disarmament and then move on to regional issues.
2.
Mr Huang Hua thanked Dr Owen for his welcome and agreed with the proposed method of proceeding. He invited Dr Owen to speak first.
3.
Dr Owen said that the UK saw the improvement in relations
He with China as part of a continuing and permanent process. regarded friendly relations with China as a basic pillar of our international relationships. A good basis for an overall view of our international relations was our permanent membership of the UN Security Council. First came our traditional and historical
The cement that held us relationship with the United States. together was essentially the defence relationship. the traditional historical ties it was the Second World War in particular which bound the two countries together and the fear of insecurity in Europe in the aftermath of the War which kept the US in Europe; thus our joint membership of NATO was the core of our relationship. Secondly, we had our relationship with
Over and above
/Europe