CONFIDENTIAL
3. PERHAPS THE ONLY FIRE BEHIND THE SMOKE IS JARDINES KEENESS
TO GET SUCH A SERVICE STARTED. BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN THAT, THE CHANGED POLITICAL SITUATION IN CHINA, WITH A MORE RECEPTIVE ATTITUDE TO TOURISM AND TRADE, MAKES IT QUITE
LIKELY THAT THE CHINESE ARE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN THE OPERATION OF PASSENGER FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANTON IN THE NOT TOO
DISTANT FUTURE.
4. WE DO NOT OURSELVES PROPOSE TO TAKE ANY INITIATIVE ABOUT THIS. BUT IF THE CHINESE APPROACH US WITH A PROPOSAL, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND SWIFTLY. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROBLEMS MENTIONED BY WILSON IN HIS LETTER OF 7 DECEMBER, 1977, TO SAMUEL (FAR EAST DEPARTMENT), OUR CURRENT THINKING IS THAT, IF CHINESE SENSITIVITY OVER THE PROPINQUITY OF CAL AIRCRAFT CAN BE OVERCOME, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE MERIT IN ALLOWING SUCH FLIGHTS. THEY WOULD FURTHER STRENGTHEN CHINA'S ECONOMIC LINKS WITH HONG KONG AND WOULD BE SEEN
HERE AS YET ANOTHER SIGN OF GOOD POLITICAL RELATIONS. IF THE FLIGHTS ARE NON-SCHEDULED, WE WOULD NOT SEE THEM AS INTERFERING WITH OR WEAKENING OUR POSITION OVER THE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR CONFIRMATION THAT YOU HAVE NO POLITICAL OBJECTION TO OUR PROCEEDING
ON THS BASIS IF WE RECEIVE PROPOSALS FOR SUCH FLIGHTS.
MACLEHOSE
FILES FED
MAED
HK & GD
MR CORTAZZ Į
MR THOMAS
MR BUTLER MR BURROWS
/COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT/
-2- CONFIDENTIAL
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