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the UK. Sir Geoffrey Howe plans co meet his opposite number more
than once in the course of 1987.
14. The steadily increasing volume of inward visits should also be maintained, and planning should include an inward State Visit to take place a soon as feasible after the installation of a new Head of State (following President Li's retirement expected in the near future). Foreign Minister Wu Xuegian is expected to visit the UK in 1987. We should also aim to identify up-and-coming Chinese leaders, with a view to bringing them to the UK at an early opportunity. Specifically, the new Premier should be invited to the UK in general terms, in whatever message is sent to congratulate him on his appointment.
15. We should also support other forms of exchange, including further development of the town twinning programme, exchanges of parliamentarians, doctors, lawyers and engineers as well as students
This and teachers, and a greater presence in each other's country. may involve an enlargement of our respective Embassies and the opening of additional consulates, but could also include support for a commercially-funded British centre in Peking, and a Chinese centre
in Soho or in the Docklands.
16. Following up the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation, HMG should continue to work for growing defence links with China, including further Chinese visits to UK defence establishments, but should stress to the Chinese that these links should be reciprocated if they are to develop smoothly. The Chinese enjoy a degree of access to the MOD (courses and exhibitions) which is not reciprocated in the treatment accorded to British personnel in China. There may be a RN Task Group deployment to the Far East in late 1988, which could build on the successful RN ship visit to Shanghai in July 1986.
DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION
17. In addition to a dialogue on bilateral matters, HMG should encourage a dialogue with the Chinese on a widening range of international issues, including disarmament, the Middle East, the UN. Political discussions at senior official level within the Foreign Ministries took place in March with the visit of West
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