Mr Leahy
Mr Cortazzi
RRICTED
Covering CONFIDENTIAL 37.
Mr. Barbaren for uff
27
RECEIVED IN RESISTAT N only of
wakoroll things us)
OID WORK ON CHINA
8 MAY 1979
DENK OF INDEX,
REGISTRY Action Taken
incidental interest to W. Chantill
315
PROBLEM
1.
OID produces and distributes to posts a certain amount of material about China. Given the present state of relations with China, is it appropriate for the Department to continue to do so and, if so, is the material presented in the best way?
BACKGROUND
2.
OID inherited from IRD a particular interest in China, as well as some responsibility for the Press Research Unit (PRU) in Hong Kong, whose product provides the basis for material issued. The PRU was created when the Regional Information Office in Hong Kong was closed: it comprises two Chinese translators and a typist.
The present output on China is as follows:
3.
a.
b.
China Record. This is an unattributable paper prepared monthly (or thereabouts) and mainly consists of edited extracts from PRU's product. It is circulated widely, especially in Hong Kong where addressees receive it in envelopes pre- addressed in the FCO, and in the whole of the South-East Asian/Pacific region. It is also widely circulated in the United States and among other NATO nations. Since June 1978, when the Secretary of State directed that only attributable material should be distributed within the United
Kingdom, there has been no circulation of China
Record here.
Background Briefs. This is a regular series of papers on matters of current interest which is
prepared in OID for circulation both at home and abroad. It bears an FCO attribution and copies are handed out by News Department, sent to a list
>
RESTRICTED
Covering CONFIDENTIAL
/of
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.