SINO-UK RELATIONS
IN CONFIDENCE
BACKGROUND
1.
There are no major bilateral problems between China
and the UK. A series of high-level visits, including the
Queen's visit to China in October 1986 and the then
Foreign Minister Wu Xueqian's visit in March last year
have shown that Sino-UK relations are excellent. A
number of UK Ministers visited China in 1988, including
Lord Glenarthur, Mr Patten (ODA) and, most recently,
Mr Ridley (Environment). Several Ministerial visits are
planned for 1989, and the year is due to end on a high
note with the visit of TRH The Prince and Princess of
Wales in November.
2. Both sides are keen to develop their relationship
further by working on two-way trade and commercial links,
through political, educational and cultural links and by
continuing their active programme of bilateral visits.
3.
There are two areas in particular, both part of
China's extensive reform programme, on which the UK and
China are to work together closely. The first is the
Civil Service. The Chinese are working on establishing a
better-structured, accountable Civil Service and they
have already sent several delegations to the UK to look
at our methods. It is hoped that their Minister of
Personnel will attend a conference on Sino-UK Civil
Service cooperation in London this summer. The Chinese
clearly regard the UK as a useful model.
4.
The second area is the reform of the Chinese legal
JS 2AAX
1
IN CONFIDENCE