RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 1128
OF 17085OZ APRIL 91
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
CADDED ADDRESSEE
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PEKING)
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HKCO20/3
127346
MDLIAN 5159
prisal
TAIPEI TRADE CENTRE IN HONG KONG
1. OVER THE LAST MONTH NCNA HAVE RAISED WITH US THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TAIPEI TRADE CENTRE IN HONG KONG. THEY HAVE CLAIMED THAT IT IS A SEMI-OFFICIAL ORGANISATION FUNDED BY THE TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT TO THE TUNE OF HKD10 MILLION. THEY HAVE ASKED US TO PREVENT THE CENTRE FROM OPERATING AND NOT ALLOW ANY OFFICIAL OR SEMI-OFFICIAL INVOLVEMENT.
2. THE OFFICE BILLS ITSELF AS A BRANCH OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTRE INC., BUT THE CHINA EXTERNAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (CETRA), A SEMI-OFFICIAL BODY SIMILAR TO THE HKTDC, IS BEHIND IT. WHILE WE HAVE NO INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION, TAIWANESE NEWSPAPERS HAVE QUOTED THE FIGURE OF DOLLARS 10 MILLION FOR GOVERNMENT FUNDING. WE ALSO HAVE EVIDENCE OF STRONG TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT INTEREST IN THE FORM OF OFFICIALS VISITING HONG KONG IN CONNECTION WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTRE.
3. THE CENTRE HAS REGISTERED AS A BUSINESS. THE OPENING CEREMONY WAS HELD YESTERDAY, AND WAS ATTENDED BY BUSINESSMEN, DIPLOMATS (NOTABLY THE AMERICANS) AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. NO HK GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ATTENDED, AND TDC OFFICIALS WERE ALSO ADVISED NOT TO ATTEND.
4. OF THE NUMEROUS TAIWANESE COMING TO ATTEND THE OFFICIAL OPENING, NCNA PARTICULARLY DREW OUR ATTENTION TO MR LI WEN LIAN. IN A PRESS REPORT, AN OFFICIAL OF THE EXECUTIVE YUAN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT MR LI WAS COMING TO HONG KONG IN THE CAPACITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE HK/MACAU BUREAU OF THE EXECUTIVE YUAN. MR LI WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT HE WOULD BE CALLING ON HKG OFFICIALS INCLUDING THE POLITICAL ADVISER. HE HAD A SINGLE ENTRY VISIT VISA OBTAINED IN MARCH. WHEN HE APPLIED FOR THIS HE SAID THE VISIT WAS PRIVATE AND DESCRIBED HIMSELF SIMPLY AS AN OFFICER OF THE OVERSEAS CHINESE AFFAIRS COMMISSION OF THE EXECUTIVE YUAN.
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