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I don't think that anything particularly dramatic needs to be done as far as our relations are concerned. The new visa office should solve the major problem and if British Airways flew to Taipei and China Airlines could come to Stanstead, there should be considerable profits for all concerned. Meanwhile I note that the Finance Minister of Taiwan is visiting Beijing this week. I hope that we can continue to relax the rules about contact with leading Taiwanese when they come to this country.
Finally, a note that I had a long talk with the young Harvard graduate
In who is the Executive Secretary of the Mainland Affairs Committee. the last year more than 300,000 Taiwanese residents have visited the mainland on family reunification programmes. I am surprised in some ways that the Beijing government tolerates this, although I suppose that it is difficult psychologically for the Communist government to stop Chinese citizens visiting their ancestral homes. On the other hand, the presence of so many Taiwanese who can describe Taiwan's enormous material success to their relations must be a major factor in stirring up discontent. The Taiwanese are playing all this very close to their chests.
Yours ever
Sir Philip Goodhart