CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS
TELNO 303
OF 201543Z DECEMBER 93
CONFIDENTIAL
Mr
Whitne
Top cozies
for file
Yon
36
171411
MDHOAN 2509
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PEKING! INFO IMMEDIATE JLG HONG KONG, DTI, ECGD
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, BONN, PARIS, SINGAPORE INFO PRIORITY JAKARTA, BTCO TAIPEI
!..
нив 180/2
2. DEC 1993
BTC TELNO 303, PEKING TELNOS 1609 AND 1614, HONG KONG TELNO 1897: CHINESE THREATS TO BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS
1. We have discussed with the DTI how best to respond to Chinese threats against British commercial interests reported in TURs.
2. When the Chinese made similar threats earlier this year, Sir Leon Brittan sought and received assurances from Minister Wu Yi during the EC/China Joint Committee that EC companies would not be subjected to discrimination by China (your telno 999).
To
3. Grateful if you could brief the Commission on the Latest Chinese threats of discrimination, and urge them to ask the Chinese side how these square with the principle of non-discrimination referred to in the EC/China Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as reaffirmed at the Joint Committee. make the point that these Chinese statements have been noted at a political level, it would be useful if action could be taken with the Chinese Ambassador to the EC (perhaps by Sir L Brittan's Cabinet?) as well as through the Commission office in Peking.
4.
News Department is deploying the following line in responding to any press enquiries on the general issue of threats against British Commercial interests:
Senior Chinese leaders have said frequently and publicly that political and economic issues should be kept separate.
(eg in the context of renewal by the US of Most Favoured Nation status for China, and most recently in a statement made by Ambassador Ma to a CBI Business Conference).
We have not been told formally by the Chinese side that they intend to discriminate against British firms.
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