АКС себ/з
3
FCS/92/009
WELSH SECRETARY
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GUS FED
P
PS Lozo CAIMANES Sir J COLES Mr MILES M. RICKE ITS
M fox M. M. Bunkerill
mien
Shle
14/1
1.
Visit to Taiwan
NIR
Thank you for your letter of 6 December about a
visit to Taiwan by Sir Wyn Roberts.
2. I gather that there is a small queue of junior Ministers interested in going to Taiwan. Understandably the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland office, like the Welsh Office, see the advantages of attracting inward investment from Taiwan. In an ideal world and were it not for the political difficulties, I would encourage Ministers from all the regions to go to Taiwan in search of investment. As it is, we must be rather more circumspect. I can agree to one visit in the next few weeks, but we must then pause to take stock before considering any further visits. The Chinese will not like our change in policy, and the Select Committee on Trade and Industry also plan a visit to Taiwan in early March which is likely to upset Peking further.
3. I gather that officials agreed before Christmas that John Redwood, DTI, should be asked to pay the first visit to Taiwan, and that he is free to do so next month.
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