MICK WOLL.
RECEIVED IN -
18 JUL 1980
CONFIDENTIALOR COPY
GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 14120OZ FCO
TELNO 1246
OF 14114OZ JULY 86
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PARIS, UKDEL VIENNA
(3) MY TWO IPTS:
NUCLEAR SAFETY:
CHINA.
1. I HAD MORE THAN HALF EXPECTED LI PENG TO START THE MEETING BY
ASKING ME TO CONVEY A MESSAGE TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. HE HAD
THINGS WHICH HE WANTED TO SAY TO ME. BUT I DO NOT THINK WITH
HINDSIGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE ASKED ME TO CALL UNLESS HE HAD BEEN
TOLD THAT I HAD A MESSAGE TO DELIVER.
2. LI'S REACTION TO MY MESSAGE WAS MORE ACCOMMODATING THAN I HAD
EXPECTED. HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CHALLENGE THE PASSAGES IN T
WHICH UNDERLINED THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT
AND THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY FOR REASSURING PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG
KONG. IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT HE SPOKE SO CLEARLY ABOUT THE NEED
FOR THE CHINESE SIDE TO GO PUBLIC ABOUT ITS PLANS OVER SAFETY AS
PART OF A CAMPAIGN OF REASSURANCE (THOUGH LESS ENCOURAGING THAT HE
WANT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PUBLICLY TO EXPRESS A FIRM POSITION
ABOUT THE PROJECT).
3. LI WAS QUITE CATEGORICAL ABOUT THE CONTINUED COMMITMENT OF THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO THE PROJECT. HE WAS KEEN TO EMPHASISE THAT
THERE WAS NO TRUTH IN THE STORY SPREAD BY SOME RECENT VISITORS TO
PEKING FROM HONG KONG THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS RECONSIDERING
ITS ATTITUDE (I SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN ANY LIGHT WHICH HONG KONG MAY BE ABLE TO SHED ON THE IDENTITY OF THESE VISITORS).
4. YOU AND HONG KONG WILL WISH TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE DRAFT OF THE
SPEECH TO BE GIVEN BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY DURING THE ADJOURN-
MENT DEBATE IN LEGCO ON 16 JULY NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED IN THE LIGHT
OF WHAT WAS SAID DURING MY CALL ON LI. I AM SURE, HOWEVER, THAT IT
CONFIDENTIAL
/WOULD
1270