M3 090/4 ale
Ch
5 JUN 1991
CALL ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE BY SENATOR BIDEN: 31 MAY
Points to make
MFN status for China
Pleased that the President has decided to renew China's
MFN status.
Our concern is about the effects of non-renewal on Hong
Kong. Renewal with conditions which created uncertainty
would also be serious for Hong Kong.
-
We estimate that loss of MFN status would mean a loss of
40,000 jobs in Hong Kong and a halving of their current GDP
growth.
-
Appreciate that there are current concerns over China
its human rights record, arms proliferation and
infringements of patents. But the way to try to influence
China is surely not to isolate it.
Hope there will not be too much of a battle over this
issue in the coming months.
ROZAWZ/1
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