Cypher
HUDI/17
80
CONFIDENTIAL
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
D. 19 May, 1967.
R. 19
191
10
07202
IMMEDIATE
CONFIDENTIAL
No. 645.
Addressed to Commonwealth Office
Repeated
#1
Canberra No. 33,
#1
#1
Ottawa No. M327,
MAY 196
12
#
11
Washington No.123,
Peking No. 241 and
POLAD Singapore No. 109
(Commonwealth Office please pass IMMEDIATE
to Canberra and Routine to others).
My telegram No. 638.-(82
The Australian Trade Commissioner has informed us in strict confidence that the Australian Wheat Trade Delegation is now in Hong Kong negotiating with the China Resources Company for the sale forward over the next six months of something over one million tons of wheat.
2.
Negotiations that took place here between 17 and 30 April were deadlocked, primarily because the Chinese offered £1 a ton less than the Australian price. The Wheat Board representatives returned here on 18 May from Japan and got in touch with China Resources after considerable difficulty. They started negotiations this morning however, and, though they were subjected to a lengthy tirade about the iniquities of Hong Kong, their view is now that the Chinese appear genuinely anxious to buy.
3.
Negotiations continue tomorrow. The Trade Commissioner has promised to keep us informed.
(Passed as requested)
(Advance copies to Messrs. de la Mare, Wilson and Bolland)
Distribution H.K. W.I.D.
82
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