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MDITAN 1479.
APPEARS TO HAVE A BROADLY POLITICAL OBJECTIVE AS MUCH AS COMMERCIAL AIMS. THE INTENT IS TO IMPRESS UPON THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IN HONG KONG, THEIR CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE, THEIR HOPE THAT HONG KONG WILL BE ALLOWED TO GROW AND DEVELOP IN THE
FUTURE AS IN THE PAST, AND PERHAPS TO DEMONSTRATE THE WISH OF BRITISH COMPANIES TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE BIG PROJECTS. So FAR 10 CHAMBER MEMBERS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE TRIP, MOSTLY REPRESENTING SUBSTANTIAL UK COMPANIES.
5. IF ACCEPTABLE TO YOU I SUGGEST THAT I MIGHT ACCOMPANY THE
GROUP. THEY HAVE ASKED IF I WOULD DO SO. BY ATTENDING THEIR MEETINGS I WOULD KNOW WHAT WAS BEING SAID, AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE CHAMBER'S COMMENTS ARE GENERALLY HELPFUL. IT
WOULD ALSO BE SEEN AS SUPPORT FOR THE CHAMBER WHICH IS ONE OF OUR
OBJECTIVES. IT IS ALSO MORE THAN A YEAR SINCE I VISITED BEIJING.
IN MY LETTER OF 16 AUGUST 1989 TO ROGER CARRICK, THEN AUSS IN THE FCO I PROPOSED THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF I DID MAKE PERIODIC VISITS TO CHINA, MOSTLY TO GUANGDONG BUT INCLUDING VISITS TO BEIJING ABOUT ONCE A YEAR. THIS WAS THEN ACCEPTED BY THE FCO AND
YOUR PREDECESSOR. DURING MY STAY I WOULD ALSO HOPE TO HAVE TALKS
WITH YOUR COMMERCIAL SECTION ON OTHER COMMERCIAL MATTERS.
,
6. IF ACCEPTABLE TO YOU AND TO JOHN MACDONALD I WOULD ALSO PROPOSE A SHORT VISIT TO SHANGHAI ON MY RETURN, FROM 19 - 22
SEPTEMBER TO GET BRIEF IMPRESSION OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
THAT AREA. THIS TOO I HOPE WOULD BE SEEN AS FITTING IN WITH
PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN MY LETTER OF 16 AUGUST 1989. IN WHICH CASE GRATEFUL IF YOUR STAFF COULD PUT THIS TO JOHN MACDONALD. MY WIFE
WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPANY ME THROUGHOUT ON A PRIVATE BASIS.
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JOINT DIRECTORATE DTI, OT2/2 VICTORIA ST
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