CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 27090OZ FCO
TELNO 582
OF 270401Z APRIL 93
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/8
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 30 APR 1993
Ms Motore
28194
007325
MDHIAN 8631
Miss Sapy 29/4
~ 27/4
FAZ
32
DESK
IND
PA
REGISTRY Action Faker
UKREP
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY ATTC ΤΑΙΡΕΙ, ΤΟΚΥΟ
HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 245: FAC ENQUIRY INTO CHINA AND HONG KONG
1. WE NOTE THE COMMITTEE'S PLANS. ON THE POINTS RAISED BY THE CLERK, WE HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TO ADD TO YOUR OWN:
A)
TIMING. BARONESS CHALKER MIGHT/MIGHT BE IN CHINA 11-15 OCTOBER (UNLESS SHE OPTS FOR HER ALTERNATIVE OF 21-27 NOVEMBER). THERE ARE NO OTHER MAJOR VISITS YET IN OUR DIARIES. IT IS OF
COURSE FAR TOO EARLY IN THE HONG KONG TALKS PROCESS TO SPECULATE
ABOUT THE LIKELY STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA IN THE AUTUMN.
B) ITINERARY. ONCE THE COMMITTEE HAVE A FORMAL CHINESE HOST, RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS MIGHT BE ASSUMED BY THEM, THUS MINIMISING PROBLEMS. BUT TRAVEL IN CHINA IS RARELY SMOOTH-RUNNING, AND IT WILL BE IMPORTANT THAT COMMITTEE MEMBERS REALISE THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT WOULD ARISE FROM ATTEMPTING
TO MAKE LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO THEIR PROGRAMME OR WANTING TO DIVIDE
UP.
WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT SHANGHAI SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON THEIR
TRAVELS BECAUSE IT IS THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRIAL CENTRE OF CHINA AND
ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT. (IT IS MISLEADING HOWEVER TO SUGGEST THAT
SHANGHAI COULD BECOME A REPLACEMENT FOR HONG KONG: ITS
CIRCUMSTANCES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT.)
IF THE COMMITTEE WISH TO SEE GUANGDONG FROM THE GROUND, THEY MIGHT USEFULLY MAKE 16 OCTOBER A WORKING DAY IN CANTON AND THEN USE
SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER TO TRAVEL BY ROAD OR RAIL TO SHENZHEN OR ZHUHAI.
C)
WE AGREE THAT TAIWAN SHOULD BE LAST.
HOSTS. WE AGREE THAT THE NPC'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
WOULD BE THE NATURAL CHOICE. BUT THEY HAVE MANY VISITORS IN THE AUTUMN MONTHS, AND THE SOONER WE APPROACH THEM THE BETTER.
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