TNAG-1032-FCO40-1282-Possible-visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-H-1981 — Page 32

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Sir Yue-Kong Pao

C.B.E.. LL.D., J.P.

7401

....

29 OCT 1981

ALLOCATIONS S

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Carrington, KCMG, MC Secretary of State for Foreign &

Commonwealth Affairs Foreign & Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AL

Dear Peler,

WORLD-WIDE SHIPPING GROUP

20/21ST FLOORS, PRINCE'S BLDG. HONG KONG

TEL: H-242111

HKGD

1981.

23rd October for draft replypse

from 5/5 by 6/11

Ник

02614

13 NOV 1931

DISK OFFIDEN

INDEX

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PA

Bill fans iblu

I am still sorry to have missed seeing you in London in July and I have always followed your activities with intense interests.

PS

PS/LPS. PS/Pas Mr Donald FED

・TRED

$29/0

See 17

One of the issues I had wished to discuss with you during my last visit was whether in view of the ever strengthening friendship between Britain and China, it would be appropriate for me to extend an invitation to the Prime Minister when she visits China in 1982 to be Sponsor at the Launch or Christening of one of my Group's two 27,000 d.w.t. vessels and four 36,000 d.w.t. vessels being built by Chinese shipyards in Shanghai. Since this is an occasion born of the first major transaction Hong Kong interests have had with the Chinese shipbuilding industry, I am sure the Prime Minister's presence will have the effect of promoting further goodwill between the two countries. I had in fact mentioned this to the Prime Minister when I called on her on 17th July and am now just following up on the proposition.

As you know, my Group also have four vessels being built by the yards of Austin & Pickersgill and I was thinking that if the Chinese leadership were to pay a return visit to Britain later, I may be in a position to extend an invitation of Sponsorship to the lady of the Chinese leadership, thus

Such an completing a reciprocal arrangement of courtesy. exercise, if agreeable to all concerned, will no doubt call for a great deal of co-ordination between my Group and the Chinese and A & P Shipyards on the matter of timing but I convinced that the amount of goodwill generated will be con- siderable and worth the effort.

am

I would much appreciate your views on the suggestion and look forward to hearing from you at an early date.

With warmest regards,

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