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176777 MDHI 8102
BECOME ACQUAINTED IN THE MID 1980S WHEN LORD YOUNG HAD BEEN SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND THEY HAD COOPERATED OVER THE YUEYANG POWER STATION. AFTER LORD YOUNG HAD LEFT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND MOVED TO CABLE AND WIRELESS, LI HAD RECEIVED HIM AS AN OLD FRIEND WHENEVER HE VISITED CHINA. HE HAD DONE SO ON THIS OCCASION. HE HOPED LORD YOUNG WOULD CONTINUE TO USE HIS INFLUENCE IN THE INTEREST OF GOOD SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS.
4.
LORD YOUNG SAID THAT HE WOULD WORK WITH THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS FOR GOOD COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. HE WAS SURE THAT I WOULD WORK FOR GOOD DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. HE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE EARLY RESOLUTION OF OUR DIFFERENCES OVER HONG KONG.
COMMENT
5.
THE MEETING STARTED 10 MINUTES LATE. WHILE WE WERE WAITING WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM VICE FOREIGN MINISTER JIANG ENZHU (WHO ALSO ATTENDED) APOLOGISING FOR THE DELAY WHICH HE SAID WAS BECAUSE LI WAS DEALING WITH URGENT BUSINESS. THE STRONG SUPPOSITION IS THAT JIANG WAS BRIEFING LI ABOUT THE MORNING'S TALKS. LI'S POINT WAS MADE GENTLY BUT WAS UNMISTAKABLE.
MCLAREN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
53
DISTRIBUTION
69
69
CHINA TRADE
FED
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
ERD
ESED
HKD
INFO D//BRIEFWRITERS
JOINT DIRECTORATE
NPDD
RAD
EASD/ODA
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR MILES
MR HUM
MR MASEFIELD
MR BONE
MR MANNING
ADDITIONAL
CHINA TRADE
NNNN
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