"BRHISH CONSULATE-GENERAL SHANGHAI
VISIT REPORT
706,
Organisation:
Address:
Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Shanghai Municipality
30 Fuzhou Road, Shanghai
Telephone No:
217158
MKB 182 12,
RECEIVED IN RECI
13 MAY 1991
Person(s) seen:
Li Chu Wen; Gao Sen
Date:
30 April 1991
Seen by:
Mr Love, OT2/DTI; HMCG
Li Chu Wen's name had been given to me Chairman of Jardine Matheson (China) Ltd.
by Mr Martin Barrow, He (Li) is a former head of the China News Agency, Hong Kong 1983-87, and is now semi-retired. appears however to have retained a degree of influence. He gave Mr Love and me lunch.
He
2. Our discussions centred on four main topics (i) the election on 29 April of Huang Ju as the new mayor of Shanghai. Mr Li discounted rumours that Zhu Rongji would retain a specific role vis a vis Shanghai from his new post in Beijing: he would have to demonstrate an impartial attitude towards Shanghai; (ii) the proposed Shanghai trade promotion in London in the autumn. Li responded positively to my suggestion, following discussions with Mr Seaton, FED, that Huang Ju should visit Britain, perhaps leading the Shanghai delegation, and also follow a programme arranged by Visits Section. (We received a similar reaction from Lu Gua Xian, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Shanghai Sub-Council when we called on him later);
(iii) the investment scene in Shanghai. Li spoke proudly of the level of labour skills available, and mentioned that the Xerox Corporation had obtained quality levels in their Shanghai factory superior to those in India or France, and on par with those in their North American operation; and (iv) the Hong Kong PADS. On this, Li said that his personal opinion was that it was necessary, and that it could be done more cheaply in Hong Kong than in eg Shenzhen or Macao.
a way out of the current stalemate would be found.
He hoped that
12 Madanel
J W MacDonald
HM Consul-General
Action: BU 2 months
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Copied to: Mr Love, OT2/DTI; Mr Seaton, FED, FCO;
British Embassy, Peking; BTC, Hong Kong
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OWM