FED
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
CONFIDENTIAL
15 March 1990
Seatin
5/3
چه
Jan Thi
We have learnt that Chinese Vice Premier Wu Xueqian will be visiting London on 18-20 March, on a stopover en route to Namibia.
The Chinese have not asked for any meetings while Wu is here. But the visit provides a useful opportunity to reiterate our views on important Hong Kong issues, at a senior Ministerial level, at a difficult time. The Foreign Secretary will not be in London at the time, and wonders whether the Lord President would be willing to see Wu on 19 March. We understand that on current plans the Lord President would have time available in his programme on that day.
Wu is well known to the Lord President. He was Foreign Minister at the time of the negotiations on the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, and has remained closely involved in foreign affairs since becoming Vice Premier.
If the Lord President agrees to see Vice Premier Wu, we would of course provide appropriate briefing, consistent with the line the Prime Minister will be advised to take when she sees the Chinese Ambassador on 16 March.
I am copying this letter to Charles Powell at Number 10.
Yours Eve
Tim Sutton Esq Privy Council
(R N Peirce)
Private Secretary
CONFIDENTIAL