CONFIDENTIAL
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China would ensure that large numbers of young people were promoted to leading posts. Those promoted would have three qualities: youth; learning and determination to create a new situation in whatever they did. One of China's most difficult problems was that many elderly leading cadres who had taken part in the guerilla war against Chiang Kai-shek had not received much education.
6. The Prime Minister expressed understanding; good management was difficult to create. Only so much could be taught, the rest had to come from experience. Good management was the single most important requirement for industrial production. Hu Yaobang said that in science, technology and management, China should learn from the advanced countries of the world. They sincerely welcomed scientists, scholars and specialists to China. The
Prime Minister invited Hu to visit Britain to look, particularly at science and technology, in which Britain was very inventive. Hu Yaobang thanked the Prime Minister for her kindness in inviting him. Premier Zhao was scheduled to visit Britain in 1985, but he too looked forward to making a visit, although his face was very red because he was only the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. The Prime Minister said she was sure that if Hu did visit Britain he would be given a very warm welcome. Hu Yaobang said if he had the honour to visit Britain he would set himself three aims to learn from the great British people; to learn from Britain's advanced science and technology; and to try his best to make his own contribution to enduring and friendly relations and cooperation between China and Britain.
7.
Hu Yaobang asked the Prime Minister to convey his regards to Her Majesty the Queen and his respects to the great British people. The Prime Minister said she would certainly do this and thanked him for the warm welcome she had received. Hu Yaobang concluded that he hoped the Prime Minister, with her vitality, intelligence and wisdom, would make even greater contributions to British interests, to the maintenance of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries and to the maintenance of world peace.
8.
The meeting ended at 3.45 p.m.
BRITISH EMBASSY
PEKING
28 December 1984
CONFIDENTIAL