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matters, the first being Mr John Redwood's recent visit, which trad been "most"welcome and whichsemeâ to go very well. It was a pity therefore that details had leaked to the local press in a way that owed nothing to briefing by any government agency. It was, alas, difficult to have it both ways when you were genuinely trying to democratise society. But they would go on trying to do their best in
such matters.
The second point concerned Taiwan's representative in Hong Kong, Mr John Li. He knew Mr Li to be an energetic man with a taste for the limelight and had therefore given him a firm injunction to keep his head down before sending him to Hong Kong. He was not best pleased when he heard this had not happened and had called Mr Li back to Taipai and given him a telling off. He understood that for the past two months there had been no cause for complaint but if Mr Li stepped out of line again he would not hesitate to replace him with someone who could be counted on to do as he was told.
I commented that up to the time I left London for Taipei, I had the impression that everyone was happy with the way Mr Redwood's visit had gone. As for John Li, I knew he had upset the Governor in his early days and that this had been mentioned to Mr Raymond Tai. But I gathered there had been no recent cause for complaint and what I had just been told probably explained why.
Dr Chien said it was good to see that our relations have become so much easier and more practical. He hoped there would be more visits like that by Mr Redwood. If in future we were to lay down in full candour the guidelines we would like such visits to follow that would be of real help to Dr Chien and his colleagues and we could be sure our wishes would be respected. He understood very well the constraints upon our actions viz à viz his government.
We were the best
judge of these and to have the ground rules laid down clearly by us could only help him and his Ministry.
Both the Minister and his deputy, Dr C Y Fang, spoke with embarrassing warmth about my efforts. I took what they said with a large pinch of salt as, no doubt, I was intended to do. I said, as is true, that I enjoy what little I am able to do but will only consider my work a success when there is no longer any need for it. On that cheery note we parted.
The annual meeting of heads of Taiwan Missions in Europe will be held in Europe this summer. Dr Chien may preside if enough worthwhile visits can be built around it. We shall presumably be considering our response should he propose coming to London.
I cannot think of how a meeting could sensibly and safely be
/arranged
CHLAKH
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