TNAG-1025-FCO40-1275-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 39

CONFIDENTIAL

]

APRÍL

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA, 1-5 APRIL

BRIEF NO 1: STEERING BRIEF

INTRODUCTION

1

..

Lord Carrington's visit to China will be the third

by a British Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary (Sir Alec Douglas Home went there in 1972 and Mr Crosland in 1976). There have been 4 visits to the UK by Chinese Foreign Ministers (Ji Pengfei in 1973; and Huang lua in 1978, in 1979 with Chairman Hua and briefly in October 1980).

2.

In recent years and particularly since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, we have sought to strengthen our political links with China, both through ministerial visits and through normal diplomatic exchanges. Lord Carrington's visit will maintain the momentum established by Chairman Hua Guofeng's visit in 1979, Mr Pym's visit to China in March 1980 and Huang Hua's visit to London last October. The Chinese expressed understanding about the reasons for the postponement of Lord Carrington's visit in October, and will look forward now to a full exchange of views.

UK OBJECTIVES

3.

(a) To continue the dialogue with the Chinese

on international issues;

(b)

To seek further Chinese understanding and

co-operation over Hong Kong;

(c)

To take such limited opportunities as may

occur to further our commercial interests

(against a discouraging background of economic retrenchment in China).

LIKELY CHINESE OBJECTIVES

4.

(a) To demonstrate that China is a reliable

international partner; that the internal political situation is stable; and that current economic policies are sound; To impress on Lord Carrington their views

of the world, in particular the need to counter Soviet expansionism;

(b)

CONFIDENTIAL

/(c)