3
BACKGROUND
3. Hu Dingyi was appointed Ambassador on 15 April, 1985
and will return to China at the end of June on
retirement. He has asked for a farewell call on the
Prime Minister, in addition to the customary farewell
audience with The Queen (copy of his letter of 21 April
attached). He served in the Chinese Embassy here from
1956-58 as Second Secretary and from 1973-79 as
First Secretary (Press) and then Counsellor in charge of
Cultural and Press Affairs (personality note attached).
He has been active and popular, and an effective exponent
of Chinese policies within the UK.
ARGUMENT
4.
Although Hu Dingyi has only served in London as
Ambassador for just over two years, the UK has had close
and increasing contact wich China in that time. This
includes the inward visits by Zhao Ziyang and Hu Yaobang,
the State Visit and the imminent visit to China by HRH
Princess Margaret, the Secretary of State's own visit to
China as Minister in Attendance on Her Majesty, and
Secretary of State's three substantive meetings with
Wu Xueqian in the last nine months. Hu Dingyi has been
closely and personally involved in these events, and has
therefore met the Secretary of State on a number of
occasions. A luncheon hosted by the Secretary of State
would be a token of appreciation in particular for the
hospitality provided by the Chinese during the State
Visit, and with the possible visit by Wu Xueqian to the
UK in mind, a sign that HMG will continue to attach great
importance to this bilateral relationship.
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