TNAG-0747-FCO40-951-Visits-of-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 80

CONFIDENTIAL UK EYES A

RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN KR SUNG CHIH-KUANG, ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND LR HUGH CORTAZZI, DEFUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMON WEALTH OFFICE, AT A LUNCHEON HELD AT THE RESIDENCE OF THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN PEKING ON FRIDAY 28 APRIL 1978

Those present:

Mr Sung Chih-kuang

Hr Li Pao-ch'eng

Western European Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mr Hugh Cortazzi

Mr Kim Sullivan

SOUTHERN AFRICA

1.

Before lunch, there was a discussion of the current situation in Southern Africa and in Indo-China. Mr Cortazzi explained that Britain was keen to see a peaceful settlement of the Zimbabwe problem, and the recent visits by Dr Owen and Mr Vance to Tanzania and Rhodesia were an attempt to persuade the Patriotic Front and the Farties to the Internal Settlement to agree to an all-party discussion. Mr Sung said that the Salisbury regime and the South African Goverment were too obstinate in their approach. China and Britain had a common interest in preventing the Soviet Union from inter- fering in Southern Africa. Britain should bring pressure to bear on Smith and Vorster to make further concessions, otherwise there was a great danger of Soviet intervention. Mr Cortazzi agreed that the UK

and China had a common interest. Pressure was already being brought to bear in Salisbury, but it was important to understand that black opinion within Rhodesia as well as the Patriotic Front had to be con- sidered. As far as South Africa was concerned, although they were obstinate, they had recently shown themselves less so in their agree- ment to the five-power proposals on Namibia.

IDO-CHINA

2. Mr Cortazzi asked Mr Sung how the Chinese viewed the situation in Indo-China, not only with reference to the Vietnam-Kampuchea conflict, but also in terms of the influence of the Soviet Union. Lr Sung said the main problem was not over border questions, but the ideological fault of a certain country wishing for regional hegemony with the support of a superpower. Mr Cortazzi asked if this meant that China saw Vietnam as wishing to exercise control of Laos and Kampuchea. under the influence of the Soviet Union. Mr Sung confirmed this. He said that China had good relations with both Vietnam and Kampuchea. During the struggle against American Imperialism China had supplied arms, food and other goods to both countries. They had supplied more than US$10 billion's worth to Vietnam, but only 1% of this to Kampuchea. Kampuchea does not have a common border with China, and not all of the aid provided actually reached its destination. Vietnam was a country

COURT ARMPIAT, HP Bres #

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