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but they wanted time to consider alterantive ways of improving effectiveness.
CHINESE SERVICE
7. Mr McCleary summarised the comments in Peking telno 1452 just received. It was interesting that the BBC had not been criticised by the Chinese since the events of June as much as either VOA or Taiwan. Mr Clarke said it was conceivable that criticism of the BBC had been muted because the daughter-in-law of the Chinese security chief was working for the Chinese Service. There was no substantiated evidence of Chinese jamming.
8. Mr Muir asked if audibility remained a problem. Was there a case for the Thailand Relay option from the point of view of China? Mr Witherow said that all depended on the future of the Hong Kong Relay after 1997. There was no doubt that it had resulted in a very considerable improvement in audibility in North and East China, but Hong Kong could only ever be a two transmitter station due to limited space at the site and this was not enough to provide complete coverage. Asked about the audience, Mr Clarke said there was evidence, particularly from correspondence, that it was very considerable, though not quite as large as VOA's.
There had been a decline in letters to the BBC since June, but this probably reflected fears of possible retribution rather than any reduction in the audience.
9.
Mr Muir asked for BBC comments on the temporary extra half hour a day of Mandarin. Mr Udell said that on present plans it would stop on 6 September. It might be possible to keep it going until the end of December using the funds originally earmarked for coverage of the Prince of Wales' now cancelled visit to China, but any further continuation would require a more fundamental review of programmes etc, as the extension had been set up only on an ad hoc basis. Mr McCleary said the FCO would be reviewing the measures taken against China in September and it would be useful for the Mandarin extension to be continued pending the outcome of that review. Mr Muir added that there was no pressure for the temporary increase to be made permanent, but there would be no objection to the BBC raising this at the November Prescription meeting if they wished. Mr Witherow asked what were the chances of obtaining a longer term FCO view of the requirements for changes in the Chinese and other services in the light of FCO foreign policy objectives. Mr Muir said that this was an aspect that could be looked into by Information Department and Policy Planning Staff in the context of work on the next Triennium.
RB 2ADN/3
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