CONFIDENTIAL
Xuanping of Guangdong to visit Hong Kong. This has recently
been renewed by the Governor.
(ii) Following an indication from the NCNA that Zhu Rongji, the
Mayor of Shanghai might be interested in visiting Hong Kong in
June, the Governor has written to Zhu Rongji to welcome the
visit.
(iii) The Deputy Political Adviser has told the NCNA that Qian
Yongchang, the Minister of Communications, would be welcome to
visit Hong Kong (possibly in September) either as the guest of
the Hong Kong Shipowners' Association or of the Hong Kong
Government.
(iv)
The Deputy Political Adviser has also told the NCNA
informally that Vice-Premier Tian Jiyun, Zou Jiahua, Head of the
State Planning Commission and Zheng Tuobin the Minister for
Foreign Economic Relations and Trade would all be particularly
welcome to visit Hong Kong.
B
4. In addition to these invitations, Hong Kong have also suggested that there would be value in encouraging Tian Zengpei, the new
Vice-Minister in the Chinese MFA who is responsible for Hong Kong
affairs, to visit Hong Kong at an early date. Tian Zengpei, whose background is in Eastern Europe, has admitted that he knows little
about Hong Kong but he appears intelligent and eager to learn
(Mr Ehrman's teleletter of 30 April). Sir Alan Donald has agreed
that an early visit by Tian Zengpei would be a good idea and has
offered to extend the invitation personally. In Tian Zengpei's case
there could be some advantage in by-passing the NCNA in case the
invitation for Tian is seen as a snub to his predecessor, Zhou Nan,
who did not visit Hong Kong until he was close to giving up his MFA
job.
5. At a lower level, the Hong Kong Government have reinstituted the regular exchange visits between the Hong Kong Government and Chinese
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