TNAG-1034-FCO40-1284-Visits-by-non-officials-from-Hong-Kong-to-the-UK-1981 — Page 99

PEKING TL

637

"O FED/FCO

GR

RESTRICTED

TELE LETTER

FROM

NFR

VISITS. FROM OTHER COUNTRIE

TO CHIN

tor Searle. 0264 Mr Williamin

PW.

HK

(HKGO) 13.1

026/19

W

10

ME

DR

FOLLOWING FOR

M W ATKINSON, PEKING.

9 JULY 1981

R JT MCLAREN ESG, FED FCO

VISIT TO CHINA BY SIR Y K PAO

1. AS XINHUA REPORTED ON 7 JULY (REFERENCE 272611) SIR Y K FAO, ACCOMPANIED BY A PARTY INCLUDING DIRECTORS OF HIS COMPANIES AND MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY, VISITED CHINA AGAIN THIS WEEK, HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO INVITE ME TO A BANQUET HE GAVE IN THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE ON 6 JULY.

•

2. THE GUESTS AT THE BAQUET INCLUDED THOSE MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE XINHUA REPORT, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PAO CLAN RESIDENT IN CHINA. I THINK THAT MY LACK OF MANDARIN DID NOT HANDICAP ME, AS THE SPEECHES AT THE BANQUET (HELD APPROPRIATELY IN THE SHANGHAI ROOM) SEEMED ONLY PARTIALLY COHERENT, AND WERE ALL, I WAS ASSURED. IN SHANGHAI DIALECT. GU MU WAS THE PRINCIPAL GUEST OF HONOUR. THE OCCASION PROVIDED FOR ME A VIVID SHOW OF INFORMAL CORDIALITY BETWEEN HONG KONG AND MAINLAND CHINESE, AGAINST THE RATHER CURIOUS BACKGROUND OF THE MIXED MINISTERIAL-LEVEL AND FAMILY-LEVEL ATTENDANCE AT THE BANQUET.

3. SIR Y K PAO'S SECRETARY TOLD ME THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS VISIT TO CHINA HAD BEEN FORST FOR Y K PAO TO PRESENT A DONATION FOR A NEW STIDENTS LIBRARY AT SHANGHAI UNIVERSITY SEMICOLON AND SECOND FOR Y K PAO TO SEE SOMETHING OF THE PROGRESS BEING MADE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOTEL IN PEKING IN WHICH HE HAS A FINANCIAL INTEREST. HE CERTAINLY ALSO HAD TALKS HERE WITH THOSE CONCERNED WITH SHIPPING, AND SHIPBUILDING.

4. SINCE I DID NOT HAVE MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR TALKING TO Y K PAO ALONE, I ASKED HIS SECRETARY WHETHER THE QUESTION OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG HAD COME UP AT THE MEETING WITH VICE CHAIRMAN DENG, HIS SECRETARY SAID THAT IT HAD NOT, AND IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WAS NO DOUBT BETTER THAT WAY. I AGREED. THE SECRETARY TOLD ME, HOWEVER, THAT DENG HAD REFERRED TO THE TAIWAN PROBLEM, BUT HAD OTHERWISE MOSTLY SPOKEN ABOUT THE CHINESE ECONOMY. SIR Y K PAO TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD BE SEEING MRS THATCHER NEXT WEEK, SO IT IS POSSIBLE YOU MAY BE HEARING MORE IN LONDON ABOUT HIS VISIT HERE.

5. I HAVE COPIED THIS TELELETTER TO 1 C ORR ESQ, HONG KONG.

MW ATKINSON.

NNNN

f

APA