CODE 18-77
Mr Elliott, FED
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference.
108.
HUK 040/57
RECEIVE! REGISTRY 2 1 NOV 1984
*CER
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO PEKING: GIFTS
mach
1. I spoke to Sir P Cradock yesterday evening about the suggestions which had been made for the gifts to be presented during the Prime Minister's visit to Peking. He asked me to record two points:
(i) When he had lunch with Sir Y K Pao on 16 November, the latter had referred to a foundation for the disabled established in Peking by Deng Puchang. Sir Y K said that he had made a contribution to the foundation of several million Hong Kong Dollars. He understood that Madam Mitterrand had also made a donation when the French President had last visited Peking. It might be appropriate for the Prime Minister to conisder doing the same. If money was a problem, Sir Y K would be willing to help out. Sir P Cradock would be grateful if this suggestion could be considered, although he appreciates that there might be difficulties involved in setting such a precedent.
(ii) I mentioned to Sir P Cradock the correspondence between Mr Jack Ashley MP and the Secretary of State about the possible donation to China of second-hand hearing aids. Sir P Cradock said that he hoped that there would be no question of associating such a donation with the Prime Minister's visit. If such a gift was made discreetly, at a working level, it might be well received by the Chinese. But to associate such a gift with a Prime Ministerial visit would be to give it all the wrong associations: the Chinese could find it patronising or even demeaning for unwanted, second-hand equipment to be made available in this way.
21 November 1984
Cc:
Mr Galsworthy Sir P Cradock
CONFIDENTIAL
3
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CO Hum
Hong Kong Department WH 306
233 4381