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RESTRICTED
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TELELETTER NO
OF 271200Z NOVEMBER 91
FOR:
D COATES ESQ, BE PEKING
TELELETTER
FROM: A SEATON, FED
,
(ORIGE) TO: S, BRADLEY ESQ, APA HONG KONG
LEGAL RELATIONS WITH CHINA: MUTUAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE
1.
Before the Tiananmen events preliminary discussions were
taking place with the Chinese on a possible mutual Judicial
Assistance Agreement (covering service of judicial documents, taking of evidence abroad, recognition and enforcement of civilŢ judgements etc). This was in line with growing pattern of legal
cooperation with China, More particularly it reflected increasing
demands from the commercial legal community who saw such an agreement as an important part of the framework for commercial dealings with China. France and Belgium, among others, have such agreement with the Chinese. The Lord Chancellor's Department had
started preliminary work on a draft Mútual Judicial Assistance,
Agreement. This work was suspended in June 1989. Political
sensitivities over cooperation with the Chinese judicial