CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 201015Z FCO
TELNO 544
OF 2010OOZ APRIL 93
CONFIDENTIAL
HKCC 01214
ECISTRY
RECET
Mitt 1993
REGISTRY
ction Taken
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS
170606
MDHIAN 7702
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
کی
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR PS/GH AND POLITICAL ADVISER (PLEASE PASS COPY TO SIR R MCLAREN, VISITING)
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YOUR TEL NO 232, HONG KONG TEL NO 600 TO FCO AND YOUR TEL NO 340 TO HONG KONG: CHINESE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JARDINES
1. I HAVE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THIS WITH SENIOR MOFTEC OFFICIALS IN THE MARGINS OF A DINNER TOMORROW (21 APRIL) FOR SIR MICHAEL PALLISER, CHAIRMAN OF THE CHINA-BRITAIN TRADE GROUP. WE CAN CONSIDER HOW BEST TO FOLLOW UP INFORMALLY WITH THE MFA AFTER THE AMBASSADOR'S RETURN FROM HONG KONG TOMORROW NIGHT.
2. ON THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT WE SAY, I THINK WE NEED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN POINTS TO MAKE ABOUT GENERAL THREATS TO BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS AND A COMPLAINT ABOUT SPECIFIC MEASURES ALREADY TAKEN AGAINST JARDINE MATHESON (ON THE LATTER WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THE FAX GIVING SIR CHARLES POWELL'S EVIDENCE). THE CHINESE SEEM TO HAVE CHOSEN TO PURSUE A PARTICULAR VENDETTA AGAINST JARDINES, PARTLY BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE MR HENRY KESWICK HAS PURSUED A CAMPAIGN AGAINST SINO-BRITISH CO-OPERATION OVER HONG KONG (INCLUDING BY A PERSONAL VENDETTA AGAINST THE LAST GOVERNOR). THE CASE IS THUS IN THEIR EYES DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF BRITISH COMPANIES WHO HAVE NOT DABBLED IN POLITICS. CLEARLY WE SHOULD STAND UP FOR JARDINES, BUT WE SHOULD PRESUMABLY TRY TO DO SO IN A WAY WHICH DOES NOT JEOPARDISE THE INTERESTS OF OTHER BRITISH COMPANIES (WHO MAY NOT MIND THE CHINESE LETTING OFF STEAM ON JARDINES WHICH HAS NOT EXACTLY BEEN NOTED FOR ITS ATTENTION TO WIDER NATIONAL INTERESTS IN
THE PAST).
3. AS SEEN FROM HERE IT WOULD THEREFORE BE PREFERABLE TO USE THE FIRST AND THIRD TIRETS IN PARA 2 OF YOUR FIRST TUR AND TO CHANGE THE FINAL TIRET TO THE FUTURE TENSE, IE TO HOPE THAT THERE WILL/WILL BE NO POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION. WE MIGHT THEN MENTION THE SPECIFIC CASE OF PUBLIC ATTACKS ON JARDINE MATHESON AND INFORMATION WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO BOYCOTT IT AND TO ASK FOR AN EXPLANATION AND A REVERSION TO A
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