TNAG-0335-FCO40-371-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 116

Genit

"NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

CONFIDENTIAL

In this connexion

the Sec, or State will

다

wish a reaffirm HMG|S

complete confidence

in the future of

Rolls Royce,

15.

(e)

Commercial relations

Commercial relations (Supplementary Brief No

will be discussed in detail with Mr Pai Hsiang-kuo,

the Minister of Foreign Trade. The Secretary of

State might nevertheless emphasise to

Mr Chi Pieng-fei the importance we attach in the

context of our bilateral relations, to increasing

our trade with China. We welcome Chinese purchases

Lave wied

of British aircraft, and their interest in

further purchases. We are confident that we can

supply Chinese needs in other fields, particularly

in high technology products. We look forward

keenly to the British Industrial Technology

Exhibition in March/April 1973. Mr John Davies

hopes to attend the opening ceremony. We believe

that the Exhibition will show Chinese purchasers

Britain's mest modern

a wide range of pitch goods relevant to China's

present requirements. We also welcome the

increasing numbers of Chinese purchasing missions

which have been visiting Britain. Although there

is a good deal of substantial business in the

pipeline the trade figures this year are neverthe-

less very low (January to August 1972 Exports

$14.2 million, Imports £20.7 million;

the figures

for 1971 were £28.3 million and £31.7 million

respectively). We hope that the Chinese will be

able to take more of our products. We are of

course anxious to increase two-way trade. To this

end we would like to see more Chinese selling

missions in the UK and Chinese participation in

UK commercial exhibitions.

/The Secretary