HKC 166/1
CONFIDENTIAL
7*BA! Ridurrel mit Ms Beat, RD-
OF 010921Z MARCH 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
Thins.
Ja
141221
MDHIAN 9779
Tel qui
15
COPY
No.
DIST 7
Beick to me
1. I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO MEET ACTING PREMIER LI PENG FOR 15 MINUTES ON THE EVENING OF 3 MARCH AND THEN TO HAVE DINNER WITH HIM.
MY WIFE HAS BEEN INVITED TO BOTH EVENTS. THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR AND
THE FRENCH NUCLEAR COUNSELLOR, AND THEIR WIVES, HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE DINNER. IT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT LI PENG HAS SOMETHING
OF A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP'' WITH THE FRENCH NUCLEAR COUNSELLOR.
2. I WOULD EXPECT LI PENG TO SPEAK FOR MUCH OF THE TIME AT THE MEETING AND TO SEEK TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION TO GENERALITIES. I MIGHT, HOWEVER, HAVE THE CHANCE TO PUT PARTICULAR POINTS OR QUESTIONS TO HIM. IF I DO, I PROPOSE TO ASK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORM PROGRAMMES AND ABOUT HER POLICIES IN RELATION TO OVERSEAS
LATELY ABOUT THE IMPOSITION OF A POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO MAY IN
LI IS STILL OF COURSE CHAIRMAN OF
für 113
STUDENTS (WE HAVE HEARD QUITE A BIT
QUOTA ON THE PROPORTION OF
FUTURE GO TO THE UNITED STATES).
THE STATE EDUCATION COMMISSION.
3. THERE WILL BE NO TIME TO MAKE MORE THAN GENERAL POINTS ABOUT HONG KONG. ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, I PROPOSE TO TAKE THE SAME LINE MUTATIS MUTANDIS AS I DID DURING THE PRESS STATEMENT WHICH I MADE ON LEAVING HONG KONG ON 24 FEBRUARY.
4
STATE COUNCILLOR JI PENGFEI HAS ALSO INVITED MY WIFE AND MYSELF TO DINNER. NO DATE HAS YET BEEN FIXED, BUT THE DINNER IS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE TOWARDS THE END OF NEXT WEEK OR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK AFTER. I WILL HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY ON THAT OCCASION TO MAKE POINTS, OR ASK QUESTIONS, ABOUT HONG KONG. THE DINNER MAY, HOWEVER, COINCIDE ALMOST EXACTLY WITH WU XUEQIAN'S VISIT TO CHEVENING.
5.
THE PROTOCOL DEPARTMENT OF THE MFA HAVE PARTICULARLY ASKED ME NOT TO TELL COLLEAGUES OR THE PRESS THAT LI PENG HAS ASKED ME TO
DINE WITH HIM.
EVANS
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CONFIDENTIAL