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accommodation as well as for exhibition purposes. Jardines, and I am sure many others, are determined to be amongst the first to get in..
4.
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When we found that Li was staying on here we thought it would be a good idea to suggest that he should meet the Governor. I put this idea to the NCNA and they came back quickly with a positive response, although they said, rather quaintly, that they thought the best form of such a meeting would be for the Governor to invite Li to "take tea". Such was the Victorian procedure we adopted. Li came to Flagstaff House on 19 December, accompanied by Wang K'uang (the First Director of NCNA), his own interpreter and two of Wang's staff. Besides the Governor, we had Philip Haddon-Cave (Financial Secretary) and myself.
5.
Li said very little over tea that he had not already said elsewhere in public. He was very positive about the role which Hong Kong could, play in the "four modernisations" policy and, as is at present the wont of Chinese leaders, said that they had a great deal to learn from Hong Kong. The Governor asked him what changes he foresaw in the economic role Hong Kong would play in relation to China. Li's answer was that he expected an increase in the number of tourists who would pass through Hong Kong on their way to China. (The Governor said
this was fine providing they spent plenty of money while they were here.) He also expected an increase in Chinese investment in Hong Kong, including possibly the establish- ment of factories here. He managed to bring the Harrier into the conversation by saying that he had seen the Harrier when in England; that China had now put in an order for some; that there seemed to be some difficulties on the British side; but that he hoped these would soon be overcome.
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6.
The atmosphere at the meeting with the Governor was very friendly. Li stayed for an hour and a bit. He is the first full Chinese Minister to visit the Governor's residence since 1949. The readiness of the Chinese to accept such an invitation falls clearly into the pattern of friendly gestures which have been increasing in size and frequency over the past few months.
7.
We now have a large number of Chinese visitors coming through and staying in Hong Kong. Most are delegations of technical experts who stay for up to a month. But we are also getting an increasing number of high-level visitors of vice-ministerial and, now, ministerial rank, the majority of whom are in transit to or from visits abroad.
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