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HKB
290/1
ECEIVER
1990
enter
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO ROUTINE PEKING
TELNO 738
OF 211715Z SEPTEMBER 90
IND
G
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
45
0.43206 MDLOAN 7709
HOARE'S TELELETTER OF 17 AUGUST: BRITISH COUNCIL POST IN SOUTH
CHINA
1.
WE FULLY APPRECIATE THE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF MOVING ON TO THE SECOND STAGE OF ESTABLISHING A COUNCIL PRESENCE IN SOUTH CHINA. THERE IS CLEARLY MUCH USEFUL WORK TO BE DONE THERE BY THE COUNCIL, AND GIVEN THE NATURE OF BRITISH COUNCIL WORK THERE SEEM UNLIKELY TO BE PUBLIC SENSITIVITIES OVER SUCH A MOVE. THE COUNCIL'S ASSESSMENT THAT THE CHINESE WOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO SUCH A PROPOSAL IS ENCOURAGING.
2.
NONETHELESS WHEN THIS POSSIBILITY WAS LAST CONSIDERED WE AGREED THERE WERE WIDER ISSUES, INCLUDING ISSUES OF PRINCIPLE, TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE MAKING ANY APPROACH TO THE CHINESE ABOUT A COUNCIL OFFICE IN CANTON. YOUR TELNO 94 OF 26 JANUARY 1989 SPELT OUT YOUR VIEWS ON THE BENEFITS OF THIS FURTHER STEP BUT RECOGNISED THAT THESE BROADER QUESTIONS NEEDED SOME THOUGHT 3. AMONG THE ISSUES THAT ARISE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CHINESE WOULD NOT ACCEPT A COUNCIL PRESENCE IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FORM OF CONSULATE-GENERAL OR CONSULATE. THIS WOULD LEAD
TO THE GENERAL QUESTION OF WHETHER IN THE PRESENT CLIMATE (INCLUDING FINANCIAL CLIMATE) WE SHOULD REALISTICALLY BE THINKING OF OPENING A POST IN CANTON EVEN IF FOR VERY SPECIFIC TASKS. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WOULD BE:
4.
-
-
- CHINESE REQUESTS FOR A RECIPROCAL POST IN THE UK.
EXPECTATIONS FROM BRITISH VISITORS AND BUSINESSMEN AS TO
THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT THE POST COULD PROVIDE.
- EXPECTATIONS OF LOCAL CHINESE (VISAS ETC).
WERE THE CHINESE TO AGREE TO A PURELY COUNCIL POST USING THE TITLE YOU SUGGEST THE QUESTION OF RECIPROCITY COULD STILL ARISE AS WOULD THE QUESTION OF THE STATUS OF THE POST AND OF THE BRITISH COUNCIL OFFICER(S) RUNNING IT (THOUGH WE RECALL MISS BARNSLEY'S DISCUSSION IN CANTON WITH THE FRENCH TRADE COMMISSION
MINUTE OF 24 OCTOBER 1989).
5.
IT MAY BE THAT THE ARRANGEMENT OF HAVING A PEKING-ACCREDITED BRITISH COUNCIL OFFICER BASED IN CANTON WILL BE ACCEPTABLE: THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING OUT OF HONG KONG SO FAR SEEMS POSITIVE.
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