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FM B T C HONG KONG 160846Z
CONFIDENTIAL
NO DISTRIBOFFICE
TAN 1978
No. 31
-ETRED)
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TEL NO BTC-3-OF 16 JANUARY 1978.
PUBLICITY FOR HONG KONG POWER STATION.
FOLLOWING ARE EXTRACTS FROM DOI TELEGRAM INDUS 7 TO ME ABOUT
HANDLING OF QUESTIONS ABOUT CHINA.
2. OFF THE RECORD BACKGROUND NOTE FOR PRESS BRIEFING WILL CONTAIN
STATEMENT THAT ''CLP/ESSO WERE NOW CONSIDERING SOURCES OF
COAL FOR THE NEW POWER STATION. THE ESTIMATE THAT SOME 3 AND ONE HALF MILLION TONS PER ANNUM WILL ULTIMATELY BE REQUIRED. DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN INITIATED WITH POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS INCLUDING THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA.''
''
3. IN ANSWER TO QUESTION IS HMG PURSUING COAL FROM CHINA''
DOI PROPOSE TO SAY 'THE POSSIBILITY WAS RAISED BY MINISTERS
WHEN THEY MR LI CHIANG, VICE MINISTER OF TRADE, IN DECEMBER.
THE GOVERNMENT IS INTERESTED IN THE POSSIBILITY FOR TWO REASONS:
- BRITISH COAL MINING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL
IN SELLING TO CHINA IN THE PAST AND THE GOVERNMENT HOPED THAT
FURTHER SALES WOULD DEVELOP:
TO STRENGTHEN THE ALREADY GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC, HONG KONG AND HMG.''
I HAVE SUGGESTED THAT FINAL SENTENCE IMPLIES THAT PRC, HK AND HMG ARE SEPARATE POLITICAL ENTITIES AND THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED
BY ''IT WOULD BE TO THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED AND THUS HELP TO STRENGHTEN FURTHER EXISTING GOOD RELATIONS WITH
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
4. WE PLAN THAT NEWS OF THE DEAL SHOULD BREAK HERE AT 1700 LOCAL
TIME ON THURSDAY 19 JANUARY. MR. ALAN WILLIAMS, MINISTER OF STATE, DOI WILL HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN LONDON AT 1000 GMT (IE ONE HOUR LATER). I SUGGEST THAT YOUR COMMENTS ON CHINA POINTS BE SENT DIRECTLY TO LIPPITT, DEPUTY SECRETARY IN THE INDUS SERIES COPIED TO ME. COPY OF COMPLETE DOI PROPOSALS FOR PUBLICITY WAS SENT TO YOU IN LAST FRIDAY'S BAG FOR INFORMATION AND I SHALL SEND COPIES CF FINAL VERSION IN NEXT WEEKS BAG.
MARCH
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