CONF
"NTIAL
6.
Educational and Cultural Exchanges
16.
Sino/British cultural and educational exchanges have
Up to 500 Chinese students
expanded greatly over recent months.
and
are expected to follow courses in Britain in 1979/80; the British Council will be sending a number of teachers, and English language teaching experts to China. A team will visit
China shortly to explore ways of building on the Science and
Technology Agreement signed last year.
Since the start of this
year, the British Council have had two officers posted in Peking.
Commercial Relations
17.
Over recent months, the Chinese have trimmed their modernisation and import programmes in line with what China
can realistically afford.
for British exporters.
But there are still good opportunities
The Economic Cooperation Agreement
signed in March during Mr Varley's visit to China provides for bilateral trade of % 14,000 million up to 1985, and a credit facility of $ 5,000 million. British exports to China in 1978
were worth £91 million.
Energy Exhibition
18.
.
Development of China's power industries is one of the
The British Energy
Chinese Leadership's top priorities. Exhibition to be held in Peking from 6-16 June is designed to exploit the export opportunities in this field.
will be participating.
About 300 firms
Defence Sales
19.
Ministers will be considering on 30 May two papers
In the House of Commons on
defence sales policy to China.
18 May the Lord Privy Seal said that the Government hoped to sell
British Harriers to China as part of our overall trade relations. Aerospace's commercial negotiations with the Chinese are unlikely
to be
completed for some months.
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