RESTRICTED
(10
176564
MDHIAN 5831
Mr Bintan
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 22130OZ FCO
TELNO 1011
OF 221141Z JUNE 93
AND TO DESKBY 23010OZ ATTC TAIPEI
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO PRIORITY JLG HONG KONG
to pa
Q DIST?
TOP COPY
tel out.
44011
STRY
1993
REGISTRY
FROM ACTING POLITICAL ADVISER
X
on Taken
FCO FOR HKD
TELELETTER EHRMAN/RICKETTS OF 16 MARCH: IISS CONFERENCE ON CHINESE REGIONALISM: VISA FOR JASON HU
1. AS THE DEPARTMENT IS AWARE, THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STRATEGIC STUDIES (IISS) AND THE TAIWAN BASED CHINESE COUNCIL OF ADVANCED POLICY STUDIES ARE JOINTLY ORGANISING A CONFERENCE IN HONG
KONG FROM 25
1 1 27 JUNE ON THE SECURITY DIMENSIONS OF CHINESE REGIONALISM''
THE AGENDA COVERS THE ROLE OF THE PLA IN RELATION TO REGIONALISM IN PARTICULAR CHINESE PROVINCES AS WELL AS CHINA'S ROLE IN ASIA PACIFIC SECURITY. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS CONFERENCE IS LIKELY TO AROUSE CHINESE SENSITIVITIES. IT IS NOT HELPFUL THAT AN EVENT OF THIS KIND, COVERING SUCH DELICATE GROUND AND WITH SUCH A STRONG TAIWAN COMPONENT, IS TAKING PLACE IN HONG KONG, PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN QUICK TO TURN MINOR IRRITANTS INTO EXCUSES FOR DELAY IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS AND ON OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES. ACCORDINGLY, THE GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY TURNED DOWN A REQUEST FOR A CALL BY GERALD SEGAL, THE IISS ORGANISER, AND HKG OFFICIALS HAVE DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFERENCE.
2.
WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED FROM JASON HU CHU CHIH-CHIANG, THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IN TAIPEI) AN APPLICATION FOR A VISA TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONFERENCE (FAX FROM MS BARNES JONES, HKD TO CHEUNG, IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT OF 18 JUNE REFERS). AS USUAL ON SUCH OCCASIONS, THE VISA WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A DECLARATION BY HU THAT HIS VISIT WOULD BE PURELY PRIVATE AND THAT HE WOULD NOT, WHILE IN HONG KONG, PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE HU'S PRESENCE WOULD IN ITSELF MAKE THE CHINESE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE AN ISSUE OF THIS EVENT. IN THAT SENSE, HIS ATTENDANCE WOULD, IN ITSELF, BE A ''POLITICAL ACTIVITY''.
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