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In Confidence
SUBJECT: THE VISIT OF PREMIER HUA GUOFENG TO BRITAIN AND WESTERN EUROPE
CAVEAT.
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INTRODUCTION
1.
Hua Guofeng, Premier of the State Council of the
People's Republic of China (PRC) and Chairman of the
Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),
visited Western Europe (France, West Germany, Britain
and Italy) from 15 October to 6 November.
to
2. His tour followed closely on the 30th anniversary
celebrations of the PRC. It was in the true sense a
historic 'first'. Neither Mao Zedong, the former
Chairman of the CCP, nor Zhou Enlai, the former Premier,
had ever made such a political gesture towards Europe.
Mao never came here and Zhou only once in office,
attend the 1954 Geneva Conference. In Mao's latter
years the stream of foreign dignitaries flocking to
Peking perpetuated the myth of an unchanging China whose
ruler graciously received but never returned visits.
It is a tribute to the current leadership in Peking
Deng Xiaoping as well as Hua Guofeng that they have
put
decisively that sinocentric view behind them.
Λ
Hua has
/now
56-ST Dd 0532078 12/78 H+P Ltd Bly