CR 250
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 170831Z SEP 80
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 86 OF 17 SEPT 80
INFO PRIORITY FCO
(3)
(14)
YOUR TELNOS 1172 AND 1173:
TOP COPY
HİCK 182/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
18 SEP 1980
DESK OFICER
INDIX
мо
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
$25.9. AW2619
REPLACEMENT FOR KAI TAK
1. THIS PAPER COVERS THE GROUND WELL. WE HAVE NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF CHINESE INTENTIONS OR ATTITUDES. BUT THE IDEA OF A JOINT VENTURE IN CHINA MIGHT WELL SEEM ATTRACTIVE
TO THEM AS:
A) KEEPING THEIR OPTIONS OPEN OVER HONG KONG WITHOUT
DAMAGING CONFIDENCE,
B) GETTING SOME WESTERN TECHNOLOGY AT FAVOURABLE RATES, C) IMPROVING FACILITIES AT SHENZHEN,
D) GETTING ACCESS TO ROUTES FOR CAAC.
See 16
2. SO FAR AS WE CAN JUDGE PARAGRAPH 13 OF THE PAPER IS RIGHT, BUT WE AGREE THAT THE CHANCES OF CHINESE ACQUIESCENCE IN (A) AND (B) ARE SLIM. AT THE SAME TIME, A JOINT VENTURE MAY PROVE DIFFICULT TO RESIST IF THE CHINESE INSIST ON IT. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS ON ALL COUNTS LESS ATTRACTIVE THAN SITING THE NEW AIRPORT ON LANTAO, AND IT WOULD ACCORDINGLY HARDLY BE FOR US TO SUGGEST IT. THIS IMPLIES THAT WE SHOULD, AS YOUR RECOMMEND, TRY INITIALLY TO HEAD THE CHINESE OFF THE JOINT VENTURE BY TELLING THEM ABOUT CHEK LAP KOX FAIRLY SOON. POSSIBLE CHINESE FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEW AIRPORT (WHICH COULD PRESUMABLY BE DESIGNED TO SERVE SHENZHEN IF THE CHINESE WISHED, AND THEREBY COVER POINTS (A) TO (C) IN PARA 1) MIGHT BE MOOTED QUITE SOON THEREAFTER.
3. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER SIR S Y CHUNG HAD TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE CONTRA-INDICATIONS TO THE SITING OF AN AIRPORT IN CHINA WHEN EXCO CONSIDERED THE MATTER, OR WHETHER HE SPOKE UNBRIEFED.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
HK & GD FED
MAED
SIR E YOUDE
MR DONALD MISS BROWN
[NOT ADVANCED]
CONFIDENTIAL
M-
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