CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 887
OF 21115OZ MARCH 91
CONFIDENTIAL
In 2020/6.
25 MAR 1991
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
D
PERSONAL FOR BURNS, AUSS FROM GOVERNOR
8
010116
MDHIAN 9010
p.a,
?
YOUR TELNO 524: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG: MEDIA PRESENTATION
SoS-& China; Press
THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERABLE COMMENT IN BOTH THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE MEDIA ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE VISITING CHINA. MEDIA REACTION HAS BEEN MIXED. ALMOST ALL OF IT LINKS THE VISIT TO THE PADS CONTROVERSY.
2. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPERS ARE DIVIDED. QUOTE FOLLY TO EXPECT TOO MUCH UNQUOTE IN THE SCMP. QUOTE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY VISIT PEKING UNQUOTE IN THE HONG KONG
STANDARD .
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THE CHINESE PRESS HAS BEEN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC. THERE IS SOME SPECULATION THAT THE VISIT WILL NOT GO AHEAD IF DIFFERENCES ON THE AIRPORT CANNOT BE SORTED OUT, BUT GENERALLY THE PAPERS ARE LOOKING TO THE VISIT FOR A RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. ONE PAPER, THE ORIENTAL DAILY, SUGGESTS THAT THE VISIT REFLECTS CHINA'S SUCCESS IN ITS EFFORT TO RESTORE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE
WEST.
4. THE ABSENCE OF ANY CONFIRMATION THAT THE VISIT IS TO TAKE PLACE MEANS THAT THE MEDIA HAS NOT BEEN LOOKING FOR COMMENT. NO HONG KONG ESTABLISHMENT FIGURES HAVE YET BEEN QUOTED IN THE PRESS. AND UNLESS THIS HAPPENS, UK STRINGERS WILL NOT FIND IT EASY TO GET PIECES PRINTED. I WOULD THEREFORE PREFER TO WAIT UNTIL THE ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE ENCOURAGING ANY COMMENT.
5. I AM SURE THAT LYDIA DUNN AND OTHERS WOULD BE WILLING TO WRITE TO THE UK PRESS OR, IF APPROPRIATE, GIVE AN INTERVIEW IN RESPONSE TO ANY CRITICISM OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT. BUT AN ARTICLE WOULD, I THINK, SEEM CONTRIVED.
6.
ALL THIS MEANS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN YOU INTEND
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