IN-CONFIDENCE
It
would have confirmed their readiness to talk as they were now leaking to the press. We would be ready to talk at any time. As to the relevance of the BP ceremony to all this, I could
only say that the Chinese were consistently telling us and
British businessmen that business relationships should
continue without reference to the Hong Kong difficulties.
might be therefore that they were using the BP licence
arrangement as a signal to British business underline their
determination to pursue business relationships. (Comment: It is also possible, I suppose, that they wish to highlight a licence agreement with a chemical company as a signal of their new adherence to intellectual property norms. They will have an eye on the GATT negotiations and also, no doubt,
on the US-China trade talks to start in Peking on 28
February.) Mr Hartigan was grateful for this background. is unlikely to visit Peking himself for the ceremony. will be reserved for Mr Brian Sanderson the Managing Director
of BP Chemicals. Mr Sanderson will certainly want to call on
the Embassy. Mr Hartigan will in any case be visiting Japan,
Korea and Hong Kong (in early March), where he proposes to
meet Stephen Day and Tony Galsworthy.
He
That
D
Hugh Ll Davies
IN-CONFIDENCE
蔹