TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 276

RESTRICTEL

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

FCO 1313282

RESTRICTED

TO PRIORITY PEKING TELNO 520 OF 13 SEPTEMBER

FROM FED

FCO TELNO 508: VISIT OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER

1. CORTAZZI HAD AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE CHARGE

D'AFFAIRES ON 12 SEPTEMBER ABOUT THE POSSIBLE OUTLINE OF HR HUANG HUA'S VISIT IN OCTOBER.

2. CORTAZZI EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE ASSUMING THAT HUANG WOULD ARRIVE

ON THE MORNING OF TUESDAY 10 OCTOBER FROM NEW YORK AND WOULD WISH TO PROCEED TO HIS HOTEL (BOOKINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE AT THE SHERATON PARK TOWER) TO REST AND THEN WOULD WISH TO HAVE TIME TO TALK TO THE AMBASSADOR. WE COULD FIT IN AN APPOINTMENT IF THE

CHINESE WISHED, BUT IT MIGHT DE APPROPRIATE TO START WITH A DINNER HOSTED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE AT EITHER CARLTON GARDENS, OR, HORE PROBABLY, AT LANCASTER HOUSE, WHICH COULD ACCOMMODATE LARGER

NUMBERS.

3. ON WEDNESDAY 11 OCTOBER WE ENVISAGED A FIRST ROUND OF TALKS

WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE TAKING UP MOST OF THE MORNING. IN THE

AFTERNOON, CALLS ON SOME OF THE BRITISH MINISTERS WHO HAD DEEN TO CHINA RECENTLY, IE MR ENNALS, HRS WILLIAMS, HR DELL MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE, AS MIGHT OTHER CALLS, EG ON MR MULLEY. (FOR YOUR OWN

INFORMATION, NO REFERENCE TO A POSSIBLE CALL ON THE PRIME MINISTER WAS MADE AS WE HAVE NOT YET APPROACHED NO 10.) IN THE EVENING A

BRITISH MINISTER MIGHT HOST A GOVERNMENT RECEPTION. THE FOREIGN

MINISTER MIGHT SUBSEQUENTLY GO TO A THEATRE OR CONCERT: WE SHOULD

BE GLAD TO KNOW IF MR HUANG HAD A PARTICULAR PREFERENCE.

4. ON THURSDAY 12 OCTOBER THERE MIGHT BE FURTHER CALLS WITH A

SECOND ROUND OF TALKS BETWEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTERS IN THE

AFTERNOON. THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION MIGHT WISH TO INVITE MR HUANG TO CALL. (MRS THATCHER'S OFFICE SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD US THAT THE

ONLY TIME SHE COULD SEE MR HUANG WOULD BE FRIDAY EVENING OR SATURDAY.) A NUMBER OF MPS AND PEERS WOULD DOUBTLESS WISH TO ARRANGE SOMETHING, EVEN THOUGH PARLIAMENT WOULD NOT DE IN SESSION.

THE DRITISH COUNCIL WOULD ALSO WISH TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY

SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR WORK. IN THE EVENING THE CHINESE NICHT LIKE

TO LAY ON RETURN HOSPITALITY.

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