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General
The preparations for the Prime Minister's
visit are going ahead. On the China visit the main
need as far as you are concerned is to ensure that the
Prime Minister has hoisted in the full implications of
the question of a Representative, so that he does not
waver when confronted with Chinese blandishments.
On bilateral Hong Kong/UK questions, we
circulated a paper based on the one you saw when you
were here, about the cumulative effect of the points
at issue between the Hong Kong Government and HMG.
The Prime Minister directed that these should as far
as possible be resolved before his visit. In fact I
think we are not doing too badly, with conclusions on
sterling and GSP which, if not entirely satisfactory,
are about the best we could hope to get; while
settlement of the air services question and shipping
register are within measurable distance.
The important thing about these agreements or
half agreements is how they are presented publicly,
especially in Hong Kong. From time to time someone
proposes that we should try to improve Britain's
image in Hong Kong by an increased public relations
effort of our own. My overriding priority, however,
is that we should not cross wires with you. This means
that while we might be able to do more of our own image
building, perhaps by an expansion of the Trade
Commission's activities, we must not do anything that
involves a public argument with the Hong Kong
Government in Hong Kong.
This rules out public
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