CONFIDENTIAL
HER.024/5.
CRS 559
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 200853Z MAR 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
I RE ASTAY
2 1 MAR 1979
TELEGRAM NUMBER 320 OF 20 MARCH.
IN:
MY TELNO.395:
YOUR VISIT TO CHINA.
1. THE MFA HAVE ASKED WHAT SUBJECTS YOU WILL WISH TO RAISE ÎN TALKS WITH HUANG HUA AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS, BUT SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR INSTRUCTIONS. 1 UNDER-
STAND THAT SOME CONTACT HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN LONDON ON THIS, AND SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR DETAILS,
2. ¡ EXPECT THE CHINESE WILL WISH TO RESTATE THEIR GENERAL POSITION ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO SOVIET ACTIVITIES. THIS WOULD GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
YOUR ABOUT EAST-WEST RELATIONS AND THE PROSPECTS FOR DETENTE. MAY PERHAPS WISH TO EXPLORE WITH THE CHINESE THE PROSPECTS FOR ANY MITIGATION OF SINO-SOVIET HOSTILITY, AS SEEN FROM HERE, THE PROSPECTS ARE SLIGHT, THOUGH NOT, IN THE LONG TERM, NON-EXISTENT, OBVIOUS AREAS FOR SPECIFIC DISCUSSIONS ARE SOUTH EAST ASIA FOLLOW- ING THE CHINESE WITHDRAWAL AND THE PROSPECTS FOR BRINGING ABOUT STABILITY IN THIS AREA (SEMICOLON) SINO-AMERICAN RELATIONS POST- NORMALISATION (SEMICOLON) AND THE MIDDLE EAST AND IRAN.
THE MFA HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD EXPECT YOU TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT AFRICA,
3. SO FAR AS CHINA'S INTERNAL POLICIES ARE CONCERNED, YOU MAY
WISH TO USE THE VISIT TO OBTAIN GUIDANCE FROM THE CHINESE ON THEIR ECONOMIC PRIORITIES, THE COURSE OF MODERNISATION AND THEIR INTERNAL POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS LAST COULD TOUCH ON THE PROSPECTS FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. HUANG HUA IS LIKELY TO TAKE THE LINE THAT THEIR CONCEPTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS DIFFERENT FROM OURS, AND TO BE SENSITIVE TO ANY QUESTIONING OF THEIR PRESENT POLICIES (WHICH IN FACT SHOW SIGNS OF BEING A GREAT IMPROVEMENT
ON THEIR RECENT RECORD UNDER THE GANG OF FOUR). ECONOMIC PRIORITIES COULD ALSO BE DEALT WITH IN ANY DISCUSSION WITH HUA GUOFENG OR
DENG XIAOPING.
CONFIDENTIAL
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