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INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY ATTC TAIPEI, TOKYO
YOUR TELNO 245: FAC ENQUIRY INTO CHINA AND HONG KONG
1. WE NOTE THE COMMITTEE'S PLANS. ON THE POINTS RAISED BY THE CLERK, WE HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TO ADD TO YOUR OWN:
A) TIMING. BARONESS CHALKER MIGHT/MIGHT BE IN CHINA 11-15 OCTOBER (UNLESS SHE OPTS FOR HER ALTERNATIVE OF 21-27 NOVEMBER). THERE ARE NO OTHER MAJOR VISITS YET IN OUR DIARIES. IT IS OF COURSE FAR TOO EARLY IN THE HONG KONG TALKS PROCESS TO SPECULATE ABOUT THE LIKELY STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA IN THE AUTUMN.
B) ITINERARY. ONCE THE COMMITTEE HAVE A FORMAL CHINESE HOST, RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS MIGHT BE ASSUMED BY THEM, THUS MINIMISING PROBLEMS. BUT TRAVEL IN CHINA IS RARELY SMOOTH-RUNNING, AND IT WILL BE IMPORTANT THAT COMMITTEE MEMBERS REALISE THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT WOULD ARISE FROM ATTEMPTING TO MAKE LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO THEIR PROGRAMME OR WANTING TO DIVIDE UP.
WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT SHANGHAI SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON THEIR TRAVELS BECAUSE IT IS THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRIAL CENTRE OF CHINA AND ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT. (IT IS MISLEADING HOWEVER TO SUGGEST THAT SHANGHAI COULD BECOME A REPLACEMENT FOR HONG KONG: ITS CIRCUMSTANCES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT.)
IF THE COMMITTEE WISH TO SEE GUANGDONG FROM THE GROUND, THEY MIGHT USEFULLY MAKE 16 OCTOBER A WORKING DAY IN CANTON AND THEN USE SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER TO TRAVEL BY ROAD OR RAIL TO SHENZHEN OR ZHUHAI.
C)
WE AGREE THAT TAIWAN SHOULD BE LAST.
HOSTS. WE AGREE THAT THE NPC'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WOULD BE THE NATURAL CHOICE. BUT THEY HAVE MANY VISITORS IN THE AUTUMN MONTHS, AND THE SOONER WE APPROACH THEM THE BETTER.
D)
SENSITIVITIES. ON TAIWAN, THE FAC MIGHT USEFULLY DISCUSS
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