CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 312
OF 151013Z FEBRUARY 88
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
19
CONFIDENTIAL
073477
MDLIAN 0245
HIB 026/1
TOP COPY
16 FEB 1988 DIT ? C.
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HONG KONG TELNO 610: GOVERNOR'S FUTURE TRAVEL PLANS IN CHINA
1. I ENTIRELY AGREE WITH THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE PROPOSED IN
PARAGRAPH 1 OF TUR: THAT THE GOVERNOR'S VISITS TO CHINA SHOULD BE
REGULAR BUT NOT EXCESSIVE AND SHOULD INCLUDE THE CHINESE PROVINCES AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL. I THINK MYSELF ONE POINT TO TAKE INTO
A CCOUNT SHOULD BE THE MAINTENANCE OF A REASONABLE BALANCE BETWEEN THE HIGH-LEVEL PROMOTION OF HONG KONG, AND OF BRITISH, COMMERCIAL
INTERESTS RESPECTIVELY IN THE MAJOR CHINESE PROVINCES. AT THE MORE
PRACTICAL LEVEL, THEE IS CLEARLY A NEED FOR COORDINATION TO AVOID CROSSING WIRES, PARTICULARLY WHEN SPECIFIC PROJECTS FOR TIES BETWEEN THE GIVEN TOWN OR PROVINCE AND THE UK ARE ALREADY IN HAND. I SHOULD
LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS IN A GENERAL WAY WITH THE GOVERNOR WHEN I VISIT
HONG KONG NEXT WEEK.
2.
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ON THE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS IN TUR, I HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS:
PARAGRAPH 1 (A) NO OBJECTION:
PARAGRAPH 1(B) NO OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED VISIT TO PEKING,
SUBJECT TO MY SUCCESSOR'S VIEWS ON THE DETAILED TIMING IN DUE
COURSE. IT IS CERTAINLY THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO GO TO CHENGDE. IT
WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE MORE DETAILS OF THE SUGGESTED PROGRAMME IN
TIANJIN, WHERE WE HAVE A GREAT MANY BRITISH IRONS IN THE FIRE AT THE MOMENT:
PARAGRAPH 2 NO OBJECTION
PARAGRAPH 3: I WOULD WANT THE EMBASSY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE CHIEF SECRETARY FULL SUPPORT THROUGHOUT HIS VISIT TO PEKING, INCLUDING
A CCOMPANYING HIM ON ALL CALLS. JUNE REALLY IS A NON-STARTER IN THIS
LIGHT, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE JUST HAD TO ACCEPT (YOUR TELNO 166 AND MY TELNO 303) THE PROSPECT OF A VISIT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
STOCK EXCHANGE IN ONE OF THE FEW SMALL WINDOWS THAT WERE LEFT. THE
PERIOD 5-15 APRIL IS AT THE MOMENT RELATIVELY FREE FROM HIGH-
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