TNAG-0367-FCO40-413-Visits-of-UK-Members-of-Parliament-to-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 67

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TO PRIORITY PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 1055 OF 17 OCTOBER 73 INFO ROUTINE GOVERNOR HONG KONG AND BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION

HONG KONG,

YOUR TELNO 1053: PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO CHINA,

1.

THIS WAS MOST TIMELY. WE HAD LEARNT TODAY FROM

DAME JOAN VICKERS THAT THE CHINESE HAD GIVEN HER NO DETAILS

OF THE PROPOSED ITINERARY. WE SHALL PASS THE CONTENTS OF

YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE TO HER AND TELEGRAPH AGAIN.

2. MEANWHILE WE ARE BECOMING SLIGHTLY CONCERNED OVER ONE

POINT. DAME JOAN HAS PREVIOUSLY VISITED CHINA AND KNOWS THE FORM, BUT SHE DETECTS SIGNS THAT OTHER MEMBERS ARE LESS UNDERSTANDING AND THAT THEY MAY ALREADY HAVE CAUSED THE

CHINESE SOME RESENTMENT BY PRESSING, FOR INSTANCE. THE ISSUE

OF THEIR WIVES ACCOMPANYING THEM. WE AND DAME JOAN ARE

CONCERNED TO AVOID ANY REPETITION OF THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS

DURING LAST YEAR'S PARLIAMENTARY VISIT. MR ROYLE AND THE

| DEPARTMENT WILL BRIEF THE DELEGATION FULLY ON 23 OCTOBER BOTH

ON POLITICAL QUESTIONS AND MORE GENERALLY ON CHINESE ETIQUETTE.

THE PARTY IS DINING WITH THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR THAT EVENING.

3. WE ARE SURE THAT THE DELEGATION WILL GRATEFULLY ACCEPT

YOUR INVITATION TO DINNER, BUT WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE WISE

IF IN ADDITION YOU COULD ARRANGE WITH THE INSTITUTE A SUITABLE.

TIME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE VISIT WHEN YOU COULD BRIEF THE

DELEGATION IN PRIVATE. WE SHALL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF

DEVELOPMENTS HERE.

DOUGLAS-HOME

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PARLIAMENTARY UNIT

PS/MR ROYLE

MR YOUDE

MR WILFORD

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