CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 261030Z FCO
TELNO 2379
OF 26100OZ JULY 91
HKC 020/3 (p~)
126341
MDHIAN 6901
Taiware. C$26/2
терил
meful 4K line
on Taiwan
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE TOKYO, SEOUL
YOUR TELNO 818 TO PEKING: TAIWAN: PROPOSED VISIT BY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND.
1. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND
SHOULD VISIT TAIWAN IS REALLY A MATTER OF SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS. SEEN FROM HERE, IT HAS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF DIRECT IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG, ALTHOUGH ANY DETERIORATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH RELATIONSHIP ON ONE ASPECT TENDS TO AFFECT OTHER ELEMENTS AS
WELL.
2. HONG KONG EXPERIENCE IS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN IS IN NO WAY HAMPERED BY A LACK OF OFFICIAL
CONTACTS. IF NEVERTHELESS IT IS CONSIDERED THAT MINISTERIAL VISITS TO TAIWAN SHOULD TAKE PLACE, MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO MOVE MORE GRADUALLY. THERE IS NO SELF-EVIDENT REASON WHY THE FIRST VISIT SHOULD BE BY A CABINET MINISTER. IF YOU HAVE CONCLUDED THAT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU MUST FOLLOW THE PATH OF A MINISTERIAL VISIT, WOULD IF NOT BE BETTER TO START WITH A JUNIOR MINISTER IN THE SCOTTISH OFFICE?
3. UKREP JLG AGREES.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
74
LIMITED
FED
HKD
PRU
DISTRIBUTION
75
JOINT DIRECTORATE PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/PUS
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CONFIDENTIAL