Section 'B' cont.
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service as most material on the China market is classified
(N.B. existing BTC confidential registry facilities are
inadequate for this purpose).
5. The Section will need to be plugged into all exchanges on
trade and economic matters between London and Peking. It will
be essential that triangular exchanges develop automatically in
order that the Unit is always up-to-date with policy and trade
developments.
6.
Policy and publicity for the new Unit will need to be
co-ordinated with Peking and the Hong Kong China Unit in the
DOT in order that businessmen can be made aware of the
expansion of the present China trade enquiry section.
7.
Although the Unit will be guided on reporting and tasking
requirements by the Commercial Counsellor in Peking, ultimate
responsibility for its operation must rest with the Senior
British Trade Commissioner.
It will therefore be advantageous for the
STC to have some direct experience of the China trade.
8. No separate (to the BTC) telegram series is required but
the old problem of ensuring that telegrams eminating from
Whitehall departments are correctly addressed needs to be solved
(see notes in Section 'C').
9.
Members of the China Trade Unit must be able to pay regular
visits (once every two months) to Canton and to Peking for liaison
purposes. The STC should have authority for at least an annual
familiarisation visit to Peking in order to supplement liaison visits
to Hong Kong, by the Commercial Counsellor of our Embassy.
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