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LI WEILIAN AT THE AIRPORT DESPITE HIS HAVING A VALID VISA BECAUSE
HE ANNOUNCED IN THE PRESS THAT HIS VISIT WAS TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH HKG OFFICIALS, CONTRARY TO WHAT HE HAD SAID IN APPLYING FOR HIS VISA.
4.
IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT SIEW MIGHT MOAN ABOUT THE UNDERTAKING WE REQUIRE BUT IF WHAT HE IS SEEKING IS TO COME TO HONG KONG FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES THEN WE WOULD NOT SEE HIS VISIT AS SERVING HONG KONG'S INTERESTS. WE COULD NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, AGREE TO HIM MEETING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS: THOUGH HE WOULD OF COURSE BE ABLE TO SEE THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WHO NORMALLY HANDLE OUR TRADE RELATIONS. IF THEREFORE HE WISHES TO COME ON THE SAME BASIS AS MANY OF HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE THEN WE DO NOT
THINK THERE SHOULD BE ANY PROBLEM.
5. MORE GENERALLY, AND DESPITE WHAT VINCENT SIEW AND DR FANG MAY SAY, WE MANAGE TO DEVELOP OUR RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN ON PRACTICAL MATTERS IN A LOW KEY AND EFFECTIVE MANNER. LIAISON IS ESTABLISHED NOW BETWEEN POLICE, ANTI-CORRUPTION, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION FORCES, BY THE COMMISSIONER OF BANKING'S OFFICE AND BETWEEN TRADE OFFICIALS IN THEIR APEC CAPACITIES. IN ALL THE ABOVE FIELDS, WE STOP SHORT OF OFFICIAL CONTACTS BETWEEN TAIWANESE 'MINISTERS' AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OF SECRETARY RANK. THE TAIWANESE MAY WANT THIS SYMBOLISM, BUT LACK OF IT HAS NOT HINDERED OUR PRACTICAL CO-OPERATION, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S BROADER RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN. SOME 1.2 MILLION TAIWANESE VISITED HONG KONG IN 1991, TWO-WAY TRADE HAS GROWN AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF 24 PERCENT IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, AND SECURITY CO-OPERATION IS DEVELOPING WELL. PRESENT POLICY THIS SERVES US WELL.
WILSON
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20
HKD
MVD
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20
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