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4. I gave Sir Sigmund a batch of material (provided by RAD) on religion in China. This included the chapter on religion from Lord Howe's report. He was greatly interested by this, questioned me closely about the mission and said he would buy a copy of the report. He planned to contact some of the mission members and discuss with them how he could follow up their findings in his own meetings in Peking.
5.
Sir Sigmund asked how his own visit might be followed through. I said he would no doubt want to discuss that at the time with Sir R McLaren. We planned to follow up Lord Howe's mission with an invitation to senior Chinese officials with responsibilities in the areas which the mission had examined. If Sir Sigmund found a particularly promising interlocutor on religious affairs, there could be the possibility of inviting him to Britain. Our funds for this sort of thing were very limited: but in the case of a really worthwhile candidate it was possible that the Embassy might be able to help. (Comment: I made no commitments. But I had in mind the possibility that a really promising interlocutor might be fitted into our Category II programme. Sir Sigmund made it clear that he was not expecting anyone to pay the full costs of a Chinese visit to Britain: the Chinese authorities should pay their bit.)
Hong Kong
6.
Sir Sigmund said that in Hong Kong he would be hoping to inaugurate a new branch of the Council of Christians and Jews. He had written to the Governor, and hoped that the Governor might be able to spare some time to see him and his fellow organisers.
Japan
7. Finally, Sir Sigmund mentioned that he would be travelling on to Tokyo to present an award to the founder of the Buddhist Organisation, Rissho Kosei-Kai. He was in touch with Sir J Boyd. Preparations were going smoothly, but he had been disconcerted to learn that the ceremony would be a spectacular attended by 5,000 people and televised.
8.
This summarises a rather long discussion. Sir Sigmund went away very enthusiastic and promised to come and see me again before he set off.
Coffe
CO HUM
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