CONFIDENTIAL
Mins 091/2
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1343
OF 081717Z SEPTEMBER 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, WASHINGTON
011305
MDHOAN 0319
TOP COPY Q DIST?
US/CHINA: SECTION 301 MARKET ACCESS NEGOTIATIONS
1. DURING A CALL BY ZHENG (MINISTER AT THE CHINESE EMBASSY) ON 8 SEPTEMBER ON OTHER MATTERS, HUM (AUSS) TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE OUR CONCERN ABOUT US/CHINA TRADE FRICTION AND REPORTS THAT THE US WERE CONTEMPLATING SECTION 301 ACTION AGAINST CHINESE IMPORTS.
2. HUM SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A BILATERAL MATTER BETWEEN THE US AND CHINA IN WHICH WE HAD NO INTENTION OF INTERFERING, WE WERE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG AND THE THREAT TO THE HONG KONG ECONOMY. WE HOPED THESE COULD BE BORNE IN MIND BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. WE WERE ALSO IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE US AUTHORITIES. HE HOPED THAT THE TWO SIDES COULD REACH A SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT BEFORE THE DEADLINE OF 10 OCTOBER.
3. ZHENG SAID HE HOPED THAT THIS MATTER WOULD BE RESOLVED SOON.
HE WOULD CONVEY OUR CONCERNS TO PEKING.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
28
HKD
NAD
ERD
FED
DISTRIBUTION
28
PS/MR GOODLAD SIR J COLES
MR HUM
NNNN
1
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CONFIDENTIAL