THIS IS A COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
L
CLOSED FOR
TELELETTER
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
64 YEARS UNDER FOI EXEMPTION NO... 40 37 44
38
FROM:- SIR PERCY CRADOCK, PEKING
ат
25/111
218
Ma. Elhalt
FILE REF NIL DATED 23 MARCH 1983
FOLLOWING FOR :- A E DONALD, ESQ.,CMG, FCO
COPIED TO:-
GOVERNO, HONG KONG
Тор сари
relamed far
Mr. Rouald, /R.
1.
NEW CHINESE AMBASSADOR
AT LUNCH ON 22 MARCH, CHEN ZHAOYUAN TOLD ME THAT HE PLANNED TO ARRIVE IN THE UK ON ABOUT 20 APRIL. HE WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE BUT NOT BY HIS CHILDREN WHO ARE ALL GROWN-UP.
HIS ELDEST SON IS AN ENGINEER IN HIS THRITIES.
2. LIKE HIS PREDECESSOR, CHEN IS A CANTONESE BUT HIS SPOKEN MANDARIN IS EASILY UNDERSTOOD. HIS UNDERSTANDING OF ENGLISH SEEMS VERY GOOD AND HE CAN PROBABLY SPEAK IT WELL IF HC CHOOSES: BUT HE SAID NO MORE THAN A FEW WORDS IN ENGLISH AT OUR LUNCH.
3. CHEN IS A PORTLY, JOLLY-LOOKING MAN IN HIS EARLY SIXTIES. ROUND FACE AND SMALL, TWINKLING EYES.
HE SAID LITTLE OF MOMENT DURING THE LUNCH BUT I JUDGE THIS TO HAVE BEEN MAINLY DUE TO HIS UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE SUBJECTS DISCUSSED. HE HAS, OF COURSE, BEEN UNDERGOING A PROCESS OF BRIEFING BUT HAS NO PAST EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH THE UK, WHICH HE HAS NEVER EVEN VISITED. DESPITE THIS
DESPITE THIS, I WOULD RATE HIM ABLER THAN HIS PREDECESSOR AND CAPABLE OF DOING A RATHER BETTER JOB. HE IS QUITE SHARP: WHEN I TOLD HIM THE NEWS OF THE 051 FAILURE HAD JUST BROKEN IN LONDON HE ASKED WEHTHER THIS WAS OUR SALUTE TO CHEN MUHUA (EXCLAM).
HE IS A TEETOTALLER AND
25/3
4.
SAYS HE IS ALLERGIC TO WINE. BUT HE SMOKES.
SIGNED....
SIR P CRADOCK
FED m
Mr. Moms or.
Mr. Hoare Typ We must liaise v. carefully
ith
brief for calls chif 2873
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.