CONFIDENTIAL
046651
MDLIAN 4713
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2806
OF 22104OZ AUGUST 89
AND TO PRIORITY PEKING
HILE
020/1
PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD, FROM ACTING GOVERNOR
PEKING PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR
YRTELNO 834 TO PEKING: TAIWAN AND HONG KONG
·
TOP COPY Q DIST 7
1 I HAVE NO STRONG VIEWS ON THE STORY SO FAR. LET US SEE HOW IT DEVELOPS.
2. I AM SURE THE LINE YOU TOOK (PARA 2 OF TUR) WAS RIGHT. I DO NOT SEE ADVANTAGE IN PURSUING ANY GOVERNMENTAL CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN AT THIS STAGE. THE BEST WAY IN WHICH TAIWAN CAN HELP US IS BY SENDING MORE INVESTMENT AND MORE TOURISTS. WE ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER TO MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR THE LATTER (AND TAIWANESE IN GENERAL) TO COME TO HONG KONG, AND PRIVATE SECTOR RELATIONS BETWEEN TAIWAN AND HONG KONG ARE OF COURSE DEVELOPING AT A STEADY PACE WITHOUT ANY NEED OF OFFICIAL ENCOURAGEMENT.
3. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT I SHOULD BE MOST INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT MR ARNOLD REPORTS. WE SHOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY WISH TO CLOSE OUR OPTIONS BY RULING OUT SOME SUITABLE CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION, IF THE TAIWANESE HAVE SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING TO SAY. BUT IT IS A BIG IF.
FORD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
19
LIMITED
HKD
FED
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
19
MR MCLAREN
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL