TNAG-0841-FCO40-1050-Visit-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-Chi-1979 — Page 257

CONFIDENTIAL

TSX L/M 136/78

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· 6 MAR 1979

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March, 1979

Acron T

لا

5/m

8 J5.3. Mr Willaughing 5.3

INDLY

PA

M

T JB George Esq PEKING

Jos.

THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO CHINA

No ohjul,

atauh

R

Under present arrangements we will make the public announcement of the Governor's visit to China on Tuesday, 6 March. The FCO have said that we can go ahead providing that they do not issue new instructions before then. On that day we will therefore issue a press release as attached. We will also brief the press off-the-record on the lines of Hong Kong telegram to the FCO No. 306. If necessary, wẹ will add that the arrangements for the visit were in hand well before the Chinese attack on Vietnam.

2.

I will let you know by telegram or telephone on Tuesday about the timing of the announcement here. I see no objection to your making a similar announcement, and giving a similar background briefing. Even though the FCO have not replied (or perhaps cannot do so) to this particular suggestion in your telegram No. 254 of 22 February, I feel sure they would agree.

3.

The precise timings of the visit within China are still somewhat in doubt. The NCNA came back with a suggestion last week that the visit should be extended for one day, to 5 April, so that Lanchow could be fitted in. Unfortunately, this is not possible for the Governor who must be back on the afternoon of 4 April. We have therefore suggested that the time in Peking should be reduced from 4 full days to 3 and have left it to the Chinese to see what can be arranged for visits elsewhere thereafter. Tentatively therefore the existing plan is as follows:

24 March : Leave Hong Kong for Canton.

25

26

30

4 April :

Canton: sightseeing and discussions.

Fly to Peking at about 5 p.m.

Leave Peking for Sian (with either Lanchow or Chengtu or Kunming thereafter).

Return to Hong Kong.

CONFIDENTIAL

/contd...