TNAG-0741-FCO40-945-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 125

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while the Chinese will not willingly allow them-

selves to become too dependent on the West, over

time increasing trade will - as with the Soviet

Union create a degree of technological dependence

and a continuing need for trade.

This will work in

favour of stable political and economic relations

between China and her major trading partners,

with implications for her international relationships,

although probably not - at least in the foreseeable

future for her attitudes at the UN and in

international negotiations. There is also, for the

same reason, a strong Western interest in maintaining

frequent political contacts with China's leaders,

both by visits to China by Ministers, senior

officials and senior military officers (like the

visit of the CDS); and by showing senior Chinese Westem

countries at first hand through visits to Western

capitals. Britain can and should play her part in

this in the general Western interest as well as in

support of her bilateral interests over Hong Kong

and trade. Exchanges of views on China in the Nine

and with the US and Japan will continue to be

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valuable, not least in order to try to ensure that

discussions of particular aspects of Western policy

towards China are seen from a common perspective.

This is particularly true of the trade field, where

China's needs will be examined in the next section.

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