UNCLASSIFIED
FM UKDEL OECD PARIS
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 056
OF 01150OZ OCTOBER 93
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 091/3
T
- OCT 1993
MY TELNO 054 (TO HONG KONG
-
FCO COMMS NOTE)
72
121106
MDHIAN 7647
CHINA/TAIWAN: OECD WORKSHOP IN HONG KONG, 11/12 OCTOBER
SUMMARY
1.
CHINA DECLINES TO PARTICIPATE IN INFORMAL OECD WORKSHOP ON TRADE IN HONG KONG, 11/12 OCTOBER.
DETAIL
2. AT AN OECD TRADE COMMITTEE WORKING PARTY MEETING ON 30 SEPTEMBER THE SECRETARIAT ANNOUNCED THAT CHINA HAD DECLINED TO ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP WITH THE ''TEN DYNAMIC NON MEMBER ECONOMIES''. THE SECRETARIAT WILL INFORM THE OECD COUNCIL SHORTLY OF THE REASONS AND EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND TO JOSEPH WONG CHONG KONG OFFICE GENEVA) WHEN
HE COMES HERE ON 4 OCTOBER.
3. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHINESE EMBASSY HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THE SECRETARIAT ON THE FOLLOWING LINES. CHINA REGRETS THAT IT CANNOT PARTICIPATE ON THIS OCCASION. IT THANKS THE OECD FOR THE INVITATION AND NOTES THE CONSIDERABLE EFFORTS DEPLOYED BY OECD TO RESOLVE THE TERMINOLOGY PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE TERMINOLOGY IS NOT SIMPLY A TECHNICAL POINT BUT AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL ONE. THERE REMAINS A GAP BETWEEN THE OECD PROPOSAL AND CHINA'S MAIN DEMAND, ALL THE MORE SO IF OECD CANNOT FIND A SOLUTION BETWEEN NOW AND 11 OCTOBER. CHINA ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO THE JUNE OECD MINISTERIAL
COUNCIL COMMUNIQUE COMMITMENT TO DEVELOP RELATIONS WITH CHINA. (COMMENT: IN FACT THE COMMUNIQUE ONLY SAID ''MINISTERS RECOGNISE THAT OTHER NON MEMBER ECONOMIES SUCH AS CHINA ARE BECOMING
INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT PLAYERS IN THE WORLD ECONOMY ..... OECD SHOULD CONSIDER BROADENING ITS KNOWLEDGE OF THESE ECONOMIES'').
4.
THE EMBASSY WENT ON TO SAY THAT CHINA WISHES TO PARTICIPATE IN
CONTACTS WITH OECD AND FAVOURS HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH IT ON THE
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UNCLASSIFIED