22-OCT-1993 15:21
+ 852 868 2431
P.02
BY FAX
22 October 1993
Professor A N Broers SCD FRS
Master
Churchill College"
Cambridge
· CB3 ODS
Office of the
British Senior Representative
Sino-British joint Liaison Group - -
St John's Building, 3rd Floor 33 Garden Road
Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 868 2171/2416/2435 Facsimile: (852) 868 2431:
Jear Marter,
You wrote to me on 13 September kindly inviting me to the College's Annual Audit Feast. I was extremely grateful for the invitation but, as you know, I had to decline it. I mentioned, I think,`that I expected to be back in the UK on Joint Liaison Group business in December.
The dates for the next meeting of the Joint Liaison Group have now been agreed between us and the Chinese, and it will take place in London between 7 and 9 December. This prompts me to approach you with a slightly impertinent suggestion.
It has become the custom that the host government for a meeting of the Joint Liaison Group, when meetings are held in the UK or in China, normally offers a short excursion or visit to a place of local historical, cultural or scenic interest. On this occasion, notwithstanding that we shall be into the cold months ~ of the year, I have proposed to my opposite number, Ambassador
Guo Fengmin, that I and my team might accompany him and his team for a visit to Cambridge. He has never been there and has said that in principle he would be very happy to accept my proposal. Arrangements for all such excursions are always very competently handled by the Overseas Visits Section of the Foreign & Commonwealth office. I would imagine that they will want to take Ambassador Guo and his colleagues on a fairly standard tour of the University and possibly the Fitzwilliam Museum. Perhaps we can also add some item of Sinological interest.
We do however need to think about refreshment during the day. This brings me to my proposition. I was keenly aware during our conversation at the dinnet on 11 September that you are very interested in China. I wondered therefore whether you would be ready to host a lunch (or, if this would be more convenient or appropriate, a dinner) in the College on Friday 10 December. Forgive me, I have no idea whether this is something that the